THE question of whether Mayor Jos Mitchell should continue to receive full pay while on extended leave has emerged as the central issue in a divided Redland City Council vote.
Councillors voted 5-4 last week to approve leave for Mayor Mitchell from the August 19 General Meeting after Council was advised her medical leave had been extended until October 31.
The Local Government Act provides that councillors on extended leave remain entitled to remuneration unless they notify Council in writing that they wish to take leave without pay.
Councillors Peter Mitchell, Paul Golle, Rowanne McKenzie and Jason Colley voted against the leave request.
Cr Golle said his decision followed feedback from constituents and advice he had sought from the Director-
General’s office.
“Many constituents had already said to me that it’s not fair and equitable that the Mayor continues taking leave at a cost to ratepayers,” he said.
“They preferred that I didn’t support the next application for leave, which was today.”
Cr Golle said a medical certificate supported the reasons leave was sought but did not, in his view, automatically justify ongoing extensions.
“There comes a point in time – and I think you’ll find this in any employment arena – where you have to question is the person still capable of performing the role that they’ve been employed for?” he said.
Cr Golle said councillors could not direct the Mayor to go on leave without pay.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have the mandate to put that in place,” he said.
“It has to be a request from the Mayor herself to say: ‘I’m going to be off work, and I request you stop paying me’.
“That’s totally on the Mayor.”
Cr Colley said the Mayor had now missed five consecutive meetings, and councillors were effectively being asked to continue approving leave month after month, while the community continued to fund the position.
“Continuing to take $4.5k a week off hard-working Redland ratepayers for the foreseeable future doesn’t pass the pub test,” he said.
Acting Mayor Julie Talty, who voted in favour of approving the absence, said it was important to distinguish between leave and remuneration.
She said the current circumstances – a mayor taking an extended period of leave while continuing to receive full pay – were not anticipated when the legislation was written.
“[The Mayor] has the opportunity to consider the community’s sentiments and personally consider her position with regard to continuing to take full remuneration while on leave,” she said.
Cr Mitchell said his vote was not a judgment on the Mayor or her personal circumstances but was based on accountability to residents and the lack of certainty around the role.
Cr McKenzie said a medical certificate explains the reason for an absence.
“It does not remove Council’s responsibility to decide whether further leave should be granted,” she said.
The Mayor’s leave request was supported by Cr Talty and Councillors Wendy Boglary, Shane Rendalls, Tracey Huges and Paul Bishop.
