COUNCILLORS have voted against a motion that could have seen the City of Swan buy or give land to a rehabilitation provider.
Councillor Andrew Kiely raised the motion at Wednesday night’s council meeting that a report be prepared to explore the option of City of Swan-owned land or building for the purpose of providing it to a drug rehabilitation provider.
The motion came after a three-year legal battle with Shalom House, whose chief executive Peter Lyndon-James is also a councillor.
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READ NOWCr Kiely said given the issue of drugs in WA it was important for everyone to be involved.
Cr Clare Scanlan said she felt it was important for local government to be involved in finding a solution.
Cr Lyndon-James declared an interest in the item but spoke in favour of the motion and said the City had a responsibility to do something constructive.
Cr David McDonnell said the link between the motion and Shalom could be damaging to the council.
Cr Maria Haynes said it was not the council’s responsibility to get involved with drug rehabilitation and people had a choice in life to take drugs.
Cr Kevin Bailey asked Cr Kiely during the debate whether a Freedom of Information request would raise red flags and problems for the council.
The motion was not passed.
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