Lack of Transparency Nothing New: Bassendean Council

IN response to Tina Klein’s letter in last week’s edition headlined “We want a say”, I find it quite amusing for the past mayor to be complaining about the present mayor and councillors going behind closed doors to discuss so-called confidential items.

In Mrs Klein’s 6½ years as the town’s mayor, she on several occasions asked my wife and I to leave council chambers and wait outside the closed doors, sometimes past midnight, so that councillors could discuss the controversial contaminated block council sold us.

When I approached council for a history of this block (old rubbish tip), I was told that I would have to go through the freedom of information process whereby the chief executive would be the officer in charge of information given.

Lack of transparency and secrecy is nothing new, Tina.

GERRY COLEMAN,

Bassendean.