LOCAL government elections have been canned in Brimbank as the state government prepares to keep the Council under administration until at least 2015.
The Weekly understands Jeanette Powell will publicly reveal her decision Thursday and outline steps for how administration of the council would continue.
The decision is likely to divide Brimbank residents, with many insisting the area is ready to return to elected representation.
Administrators Peter Lewinsky, Meredith Sussex and Joanne Anderson were appointed until the October 2012 election.
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Minister Powell has dangled the democracy carrot since the government came into power but never categorically ruled out cancelling the elections.
The Weekly revealed last year that a number of former councillors intended to recontest the election including former mayors Sam David and Troy Atanasovsk as well as sacked councillors Marion Martin and Margaret Giudice.
Earlier this month the man responsible for the sacking of Brimbank Council in 2009 told the Weekly the municipality is ready for a return to democracy.
Now-opposition local government spokesman Richard Wynne sacked the council while Labor was in government, following a damning report by the Ombudsman backed up by another from local government inspector, Bill Scales.
Mr Scales’ report showed a failure of councillors to reform their practices and address issues of probity and misconduct.
Incidents included an attempt by a councillor to inappropriately challenge a parking fine, leaking of confidential information, and an attempt at undue influence of councillors by an outside organisation.
Mr Scales said the sacking and three-year time lapse before elections was necessary “to ensure that power relationships and alliances that are, or have the potential to undermine good government and governance, are dissipated”.
Mr Wynne said the council “will have been suspended for three years and it’s time for a return to a democratically elected council.”
Last week Greens PM Colleen Hartland wrote to Minister Powell, calling for a decision to be announced.
She wrote that a late change to the expectation of a local council election would have consequences for candidates and for the electorate.
“Community members are already declaring whether they will stand, are organising their campaigns and spending time and money on campaign items.”
She pointed out that Brimbank Council must sign contracts with the Victorian Electoral Commission by the end of June and would suffer financially if the election was cancelled after the contract is signed.
Deer Park Residents and Traders Association secretary Les Tarczon has said he supported the disbanding of the previous council, but Brimbank was ready to return to democracy.
Sunshine Residents and Ratepayers Association president Darlene Reilly said members wanted to see one more term under administration.
The government appears to have favoured the middle path preferred by Delahey Action Group, convener David Anderson pushing for a further two years under administration.
MORE TO COME.
