REDLAND City councillor Peter Mitchell has been quietly admonished after being filmed carrying out maintenance work outside the Redlands Coast Visitor Information Centre in Cleveland, despite the area having already been mowed the previous day.
The incident, which was captured on video and circulated online, is understood to have raised concerns within council about appropriate conduct, operational boundaries and the use of council resources.
While no formal disciplinary action has been taken, the councillor was reportedly reminded that maintenance activities are the responsibility of council officers and contractors, not elected representatives, and that duplicating work already completed can create confusion for staff and the public.
The intervention follows community complaints about the presentation of the tourism office, which prompted the Division 2 councillor to publicly criticise council standards and leap into mowing action.
However, council has since confirmed the grass outside the visitor centre had already been cut by council staff the day before.
A council spokesperson confirmed staff carried out the work as part of routine operations but acknowledged a separate incident involving a councillor the following day.
“The grass outside the Redlands Coast Visitor Information Centre in Middle Street, Cleveland, was already scheduled for mowing on Friday January 30, 2026,” the spokesperson said.
“It was mowed that day by Council employees as part of their routine works program.
“Council is aware of a video, posted to social media on Saturday January 31, that shows a Councillor using a grass trimmer that morning around a pole outside the Visitor Information Centre.”
While the spokesperson noted that community members — including councillors — sometimes carry out minor works on public land, council made clear it does not encourage the practice.
“While members of the community, including Councillors, occasionally carry out simple maintenance works on public land, Council recommends that maintenance issues be reported to Council for actioning,” the spokesperson said.
“Council can advise on work schedules, and it is best that public maintenance works are carried out by Council officers who have been trained and have documented procedures and safety equipment.”
The clarification comes after Cleveland resident Ian Neil publicly slammed what he described as the “appalling” presentation of the tourism office, questioning whether councillors or council staff were paying attention to the city centre.
Cr Mitchell said he shared the concerns and had long argued Cleveland deserved a higher standard of presentation.
“The town centre is unique across our city, and I have long argued with Council and Councillors that it deserves a preferential and higher level of service,” he said.
“This is not the current policy however.”
In its response, council also pointed to the scale of its maintenance task across the city.
“Council has an extensive mowing schedule for maintaining 7.5 million square metres of grass in public spaces across the mainland alone,” the spokesperson said.
“During peak mowing season, grass seed heads can develop quickly, making areas appear untidy towards the end of the scheduled period.
“This was the case with the area outside the Visitor Information Centre on 30 January.”
Council reiterated that residents should report concerns directly, rather than taking matters into their own hands.
