Perth Voice Interactive

A BAYSWATER council-watcher is trying to get to the bottom of claims a councillor said rude things about him six months ago.

Ian Walters hadn’t heard the comments allegedly uttered by Cr Barry McKenna because, after asking in public question time why the council hadn’t accepted the cheapest quote for a tender, he’d left the chamber.

“I’ve had a meeting with the mayor but he says he doesn’t recall what Cr McKenna said that night,” Mr Walters told the Voice.

“So far I’ve had no apology or contact from Cr McKenna and the way the complaints process has been handled by the city has been very unsatisfactory.

“They’ve just brushed it under the carpet with very little scrutiny or investigation—in their eyes the matter is now closed.

“Cr McKenna has not even been in touch to discuss it with me.”

Mr Walters has lodged a statutory declaration with the city—written by a ratepayer who had been in the gallery that night—in a bid to kickstart a new investigation.

“I’m hoping to get a public apology or a letter of apology issued to the 80-odd people that were in the gallery that night,” says the pensioner, who has been attending council meetings for the past decade.

In December, a move by the Bayswater City Residents’ Association to record council meetings and make them available to the public failed.

“Other councils, including Bassendean do it, so why can’t we?” president Tony Green said at the time.

“All that gets recorded in the minutes is what was passed and the vote, not the nitty-gritty. We need more transparency.”

Bayswater is the only council in Voiceland that doesn’t record its meetings.

Cr McKenna—a former deputy mayor who has served on council for 24 years and was voted freeman of the city in 2011—didn’t get back to us.

Cr Albert said the city did not comment on complaints.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK