STIRLING council adverts for the Terry Tyzack Aquatic Centre give the veteran councillor an unfair advantage at election time, says Cr Stephanie Proud.
The city spends $38,500 a year advertising the aquatic centre, named after the former Stirling mayor who is still a councillor and up for re-election this year.
Cr Proud wanted a moratorium on sitting councillors’ names appearing in ads until the local government elections in October, but city staff said that canning ads between now and October would result “in a predicted loss of $401,025 in revenue” and plunge the aquatic centre into the red.
At last Tuesday’s meeting Ms Proud tabled an alternative motion to keep advertising the centre, but without any reference to Cr Tyzack.
She was outvoted, only getting support from councillors David Boothman, Giovanni Italiano, and Keith Sargent.
Councillors happy with the status quo were Karen Caddy, Mark Irwin, David Lagan, Elizabeth Re, Rod Willox, and Cr Tyzack himself (he disclosed an impartial interest, but was still able to vote).
Council voted to name the Inglewood aquatic centre after Cr Tyzack in 2001.
He was a sitting councillor at the time but didn’t vote on it.
Neighbouring Vincent council only allows facilities to be named after a person, posthumously, unless there are “exceptional circumstances”.
by DAVID BELL
Perth Voice Interactive 
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