Perth Voice Interactive

PERTH lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi handed down an edict to “freeze out” newbie councillor Jemma Green, deputy lord mayor James Limnios has revealed.

Cr Green stood as an independent last October, and was the only person elected without the endorsement of Ms Scaffidi.

At Tuesday’s meeting Cr Green revealed she’d tried for two months to meet Ms Scaffidi to discuss plans for greater transparency at the council.

Cr Green wants the council to have a more thorough online travel register and register of every councillors’ interests.

While likening Cr Green’s motions on Tuesday to an ambush, Ms Scaffidi defended the lack of communication, saying “there is no requirement to engage with councillors at 11 o’clock at night or whenever someone sends you an email”.

Cr Limnios then revealed the lord mayor had orchestrated a planned freeze-out among her allies: “When Cr Green was talking about your refusal to meet with her, why didn’t you tell the truth? You wanted to bar us from speaking to Cr Green.”

Cr Limnios tried to continue but the lord mayor cut him off.

This week Cr Green publicly stated she thought the lord mayor should step aside pending the outcome of the SAT process to halt “even more damage to the reputation of the City of Perth and the office of lord mayor”.