Abuse, heckling and division punctuated the annual electors meeting at Cottesloe Council last night

ABUSE punctuated a rowdy electors annual general meeting and its chaotic vote of no-confidence in Cottesloe Council last night

No-confidence proponent David Yates said issues included the council applying for tenders “sight unseen”, the chief executive not replying to councillors, delayed council minutes, rates and wage rises greater than CPI, spending on consultants and no gauging of customer satisfaction.

The vote lost 70-58, before a subsequent attempt to have the decision disallowed was shouted down by others.

“You paternalistic p***k,” a resident shouted to Mayor Philip Angers, referring to the mayor’s comment, “We’ve had our excitement’, when he quietened the 250-strong crowd after the vote.

The meeting allowed residents and ratepayers to question the council and raise issues, but their motions were not binding on councillors.

Cottesloe Residents and Ratepayers association secretary Yvonne Hart was heckled when she told councillors an association survey found 70 per cent of an undisclosed number of respondents opposed the council’s foreshore renovations, including a claimed $18,000 for scaffold pipe and bamboo roof beach shelters.

Natalie Kendall defended the council saying division from Mr Yates’ motion showed why the town could not progress, but councillors were also “constantly” calling on legal opinions and questioning policies’ “minutae”.

Peter Rattigan asked why 1ha had not been used at Sea View Golf Course for a new works depot, instead renting part of Mosman Park’s facility, but Mr Angers said it was “common sense” a depot holding poisons would not be near the Sea View kindergarten.

A motion to have complaints book at the council failed, after Mr Humfrey told resident Paul Underwood that “repeating false statements doesn’t make you correct” when Mr Underwood argued the council had not dealt with his complaints about alleged noise from Andrew Forrest’s Tukarua development.