Toowoomba Regional Council - are councillors plotting to sack CEO ...

Excerpt from the Chronicle:

Deputy, CEO split over city bias

19 September 2008

A rift has developed within Toowoomba Regional Council over the perceived concentration of power in Toowoomba.

Some councillors, particularly those elected from country centres, fear that the smaller regional centres are being robbed of staff who are being forced out.

Several staff have resigned in recent weeks, denuding council centres at areas such as Millmerran.

Deputy mayor Paul Antonio and council chief executive officer Philip Spencer are believed to be at loggerheads over the centralisation of services to the detriment of country areas.

Councillors are so concerned about bureaucratic control of council operations they held an in-camera session at Greenmount recently in which they canvassed, among other things, the sacking of the CEO if their wishes were not implemented.

See - Deputy, CEO split over city bias.

Update:

Excerpt from ABC News:

Deputy Mayor rejects council rift claims

19 September 2008

Toowoomba Regional Council's deputy Mayor says he is disappointed by the resignation of staff in the former Millmerran shire, but denies there is a rift developing at the council.

A local newspaper is this morning reporting a rift between Paul Antonio and chief executive Philip Spencer over a perceived concentration of power in Toowoomba to the detriment of smaller centres.

Councillor Antonio, who was previously the mayor of Millmerran shire council, says he has a good working relationship with Mr Spencer.

"I get on well with the senior staff. We have a common goal to do the very best we can for the region and we are delivering that," he said.

"It's just that this particular issue was about the loss of key staff that are going to be very hard to replace ... and in terms of that naturally my disappointment has probably been blown right out of proportion."

See - Deputy Mayor rejects council rift claims.