By NIKKI TODD
TWEED Shire councillors will have access to mediation when dealing with difficult people if a proposal put forward by council is approved tonight.
The mediation process has been proposed following a motion put forward by Greens Councillor Katie Milne last March.
Under the process, council officers involved in alternative dispute resolution would be appropriately trained either by a private sector body or the NSW Ombudsman.
Cr Milne, who was herself subject to a long-running dispute with council as part of her fight against plans to build a mega marina at Chinderah, welcomed the process.
“It was obvious that mediation is a process that was missing from council, especially after I had experienced first-hand the wasted time and harm to my reputation over the Chinderah subpoena fiasco,’’ Cr Milne said.
“These issues come up all the time at council, residents issues that you think you would be able to work out pretty simply.’’
Despite successfully arguing against the marina proposal in the Land and Environment Court in 2007, where she was awarded costs, Cr Milne was still slapped with a $351 bill by council which she refused to pay.
Her decision was eventually vindicated in the NSW Local Court last February when the Magistrate dismissed council’s case against her.
“It took six years and a court ruling for council to understand they were in the wrong in my case,’’ she said.
“It was never about the money. Council were charging people inappropriately for subpoenas.’’
Cr Milne said a mediation process should help alleviate stress and could potentially prevent unwarranted and costly litigation.
“There are a multitude of issues that come to council that cause incredible stress and expense to both parties,’’ she said.
“Councillors are not trained in conflict resolution and all too often politics or personalities gets in the way.’’
Tweed Mayor Barry Longland said the additional mediation training for staff would be beneficial to all.
“If we have these policies available to use where we see a need for it, it is not a bad thing,’’ Cr Longland said.
“Where we are in dispute with anyone who wants to complain about what council is or is not doing, I think it is probably in everyone’s interest to resort to some form of mediation before we go down the compliance track and issue infringement notices.’’
