Mayor resigns from beleaguered SA council
News has emerged of an SA mayor resigning after Safework SA was called in to investigate council culture claims.
Jan-Claire Wisdom resigned as mayor of the troubled Adelaide Hills Council late yesterday afternoon, before the Ordinary Council meeting.
Her announcement comes after the council was plagued with controversy in recent times, with former councillors Pauline Gill, Louise Pascale and Melanie Selwood resigning in a span of a week in May of this year.
As previously reported in InDaily, Safework SA was called in to investigate various claims of a “psychological nature”.
Wisdom, who has served as Mayor since 2018, was called to resign over alleged behavioural standards breaches and bullying claims, which she strenuously denied.
Controversy also arose over a proposal to move parts of Rostrevor and Woodroofe from the Adelaide Hills Council to Campbelltown City Council, which was supported by former councillor Pascale.
Deputy Mayor Nathan Daniell acknowledged that there has been some turbulence for the chamber during the current term of council and said, “It is publicly known that this is in part related to a number of breaches of the behavioural standards by the Mayor that the chamber was required to address.”
“Despite this, I would like to publicly thank the former Mayor for her contribution to this organisation and the wider community. I had a constructive and positive working relationship with Jan-Claire during the previous terms that I have worked with her on Council,” he said in an announcement on Wednesday.
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“I would particularly like to thank her for her empathetic and thoughtful approach to how we, as an organisation, responded to the Cuddlee Creek bushfire.
“With three new councillors joining the elected body imminently, now is an opportunity for a fresh start and to put the turbulent times behind us. We must focus on ensuring the culture of the chamber is productive and focused on our community.”
The statement said the council would work with the Electoral Commission to support the process of a supplementary election for the office of the Mayor.
Details about the election process and timeline was expected to be shared with residents once confirmed by the South Australian Electoral Commission.
