Council to Consider General Manager’s Development

THE Council’s development and environment committee has recommended a development application by Council’s general manager Steve McDonald be approved to subdivide land at 19 Main Street, Scone.

The audio recording of the meeting is only two minutes in duration, with Council stating on their website it was only a partial recording due to technical difficulties.

In the short audio clip, Cr Sue Abbott said she was “concerned about the General Manager’s matter and that I think there is a perceived conflict of interest.”

Council received one submission, which objected to the proposal, questioning the appropriateness of the size of the development on the land, citing their set back from the street was 7 to 7.5 metres, whereas the new development only had to be 4.5metres to meet Council requirements.

The proposal is to subdivide the 1,103 m2 block into two blocks of 608.887m2 and 500.893m2, with a home to be built on each. See site plans below. 

While the audio recording of the meeting is not available, attendees at the meeting said the Mayor had already sought legal opinion on the matter and had been assured the proposal was compliant.

However, Cr Abbott raised concerns of a potential conflict of interest in Councillors deciding on the general manager’s application, recommending another Council assess the merits of the application independently.

The development will go before general Council tonight.

See site plans below:

Plans for 19 Main Street, Scone.