Council 'welcomes criticism', says Thirlwell

Gosford Council's organisational development director Mr Terry Thirlwell said he considered critical statements made about Council as providing an opportunity for the council to look at its processes.

He said he did not consider them to be bringing Council into disrepute, which was forbidden under the council's Code of Conduct.

He was responding to claims that moves to suspend the committee membership of Pearl Beach resident Ms Kay Williams and to censure of Cr Peter Freewater were attempts to silence critics.

Mr Thirlwell said any comment of a negative nature can be seen as an opportunity to "examine how we do things".

However, community groups have reported that some council staff had regarded differences of opinion and disagreements over policy to be a personal affront or attacks on them, rather than part of the democratic process.

Community Environment Network chairman Mr John Asquith said the network had found some council staff to be defensive.

"There's defensiveness about comments from the public rather than a more open approach," he said.

"Things just don't get very far when that happens.

"CEN always tries to focus on the issue.

"We want to be out working on the environment.

"We really don't want to be spending our time on side issues."

Mr Asquith admitted some tension had developed between council staff and the CEN over their respective views about the draft Local Environment Plan.

Kaitlin Watts, 14 Sep 2011 Interviewees: Terry Thirlwell, Gosford Council John Asquith, CEN