Minutes Missing the Miff

scone.com.au has confirmed there was an exchange between Mayor Wayne Bedggood and Cr Sue Abbott, which was described as ‘heated’ and while Cr Abbott asked that the exchange be documented in the library committee minutes, it was not included in the final version presented to Council on Monday night.

Sue Abbott, refused to endorse the library committee minutes.

Cr Abbott asked in the library committee meeting that the discussion be noted in the minutes, but it was not present in the final minutes.

Cr Joshua Brown asked if is was routine practice that Council sub-committee minutes were properly reviewed and endorsed by the sub committees before they were presented to Council for final acceptance and Mayor Bedggood laughingly responded, “not necessarily.”

Waid Crockett the general manager of Council confirmed it was common practice for minutes from subcommittees not to be reviewed and endorsed before going to the broader Council meeting due to ‘timeframes’.

He further explained that since some committees only meet every three months it was ‘impractical’ to have the minutes endorsed by the committees.

Cr Ron Campbell asked if Cr Abbott could simply explain what the amendment to the minutes needed to be and if it could be resolved in the meeting, however it was resolved that the library committee minutes would return to the committee for review and endorsement, before being put before Council.

Mayor, Wayne Bedggood.

In the current Council media policy staff and Councillors are not allowed to speak to the media without the permission of the general manager Waid Crockett or Mayor Wayne Bedggood, so our sources have asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal.

Related story: Editorial: No Gag Order Here.