Perth Voice Interactive

ALANNAH MACTIERNAN says she didn’t know most of the people selected for a working group a local trader claims was “handpicked” by the mayor.

Stuart Lofthouse, who runs Greens and Co on Oxford Street, made the claim at last week’s council meeting, where he also took a swipe at the council’s advertising of the group.

He says if business owner and friend Debbie Saunders—who runs a nearby cafe—had known about the group, she’d have put up her hand.

“The business and community reps all nominated in an open process,” Ms MacTiernan told the Voice.

“We considered ourselves very fortunate that three of the village’s most successful retailers nominated and were accepted by council as the business reps.”

They were Deanne Williams from Atlas Devine, Lidio Fiore from Camera House and Lisa Montgomery from Urban Records.

“The two residents that nominated were unknown to me and have also made a great contribution,” the mayor added.

“I’m just amazed at these conspiracy theories. I didn’t know most of these people before they nominated.

“I go down to the strip all the time, and from my discussions with a wide variety of business people, I confirm that Stuart’s attitude does not represent the view of the vast majority of people trading down there,” she said of the council’s advertising.

Mr Fiore said info was “easily available” and he’d posted about the planned upgrade of Oxford Street park on his Facebook which has 12,000 likers.

“I doubt Stuart missed all of these things. If he has, then maybe he should be more involved in the community,” Mr Fiore commented.

Mr Lofthouse is concerned the million dollar upgrade will mean the loss of 22 car bays and access to a carpark from Oxford Street.

He confirmed that he, Ms Saunders, and a third candidate would be standing in October’s elections.

by DAVID BELL