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City of Stirling residents put forward no confidence motion against chief executive

Kate LeaverStirling Times

DISGRUNTLED residents confronted the City of Stirling with their planning gripes at last night’s electors meeting that ended in a public ‘no confidence’ vote in the chief executive.

In what was a dramatic turn of events at the elector’s special meeting, ratepayer Leisha Jack put forward a no confidence motion against chief executive Stuart Jardine, which was backed by nearly 150 others.

Scarborough resident Simon Wheeler made a deputation to the council about the “systemic planning failures” of the City relating to a controversial Ozone Parade development in Trigg.

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“There are systemic issues in the total disregard (the City) has for residents,” he said.

“Residents have been treated with contempt and incorrect information has been supplied to the Development Assessment Panels (DAP).”

Mr Wheeler put forward a vote of no confidence in the City’s planning and approvals department.

Mr Wheeler claimed the City had a lack of public consultation and was pandering to developers rather than ratepayers.

“The best case scenario was looked at from a planning perspective,” he said.

“The kitchen window used to have ocean views and now has a concrete wall.”

Stirling planning and development director Ross Povey said the City was often not in control of planning processes such as the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) and the DAP.

“The role of public consultation is often misunderstood,” he said.

“Elements of proposal require the discretion of the decision maker and all submissions from the public are assessed and raised in a report.

“Even if hundreds of objections are received, if planning issues raised are deemed not to have relevance it will be assessed by the DAP.”

Representatives from groups against aged care developments in Silcia Road, Carine and Prisk Street, Karrinyup also questioned the City’s approval processes.

Subiaco councillor Julie Matheson, also a member of the DAP Affected Communities group, said a Prisk Street aged care home was being built in a bushfire risk zone and no fire plan was put in place.

“Elderly residents are being put at risk due to the negligence of City of Stirling planning and approvals,” she said.

Stirling approvals manager Greg Bowering said the fire restrictions did not apply at the time of the application.

“There was a transition period of four months after this (bush fire legislation) was passed in December, so it did not apply,” he said.

The groups also called on the City to launch independent investigations into their cases.

The motions raised by the public will be put to council on February 7.