Grahamgate tapes: Mark his words | Coffs Coast News | Local News in Coffs Coast

TAPES of all council meetings since he was elected have been requested by Coffs Harbour City Councillor Mark Graham.

Cr Graham made the request as a question without notice at the close of Thursday's Coffs Harbour City Council meeting. CHCC general manager Stephen Sawtell said tapes were kept for the clarity of the minutes, not for the councillors.

Cr Graham said he was aware of other councils where copies of the tapes were given out to councillors 'as a matter of course.'

“I have some concerns over minutes,” Cr Graham said.

“I am formally requesting the tapes.”

At the beginning of the meeting Cr Graham had questioned the minute recorded for his query and the mayor's answer to a question he had asked at the May 14 council meeting, regarding whether the mayor had approved developments in flood prone areas under delegated authority.

He said the minutes did not reflect some of the mayor's responses at that time, namely: 'I cannot recall' and 'I do not know'

The Mayor, Cr Keith Rhoades, said he would hand the matter over to the general manager to check.

The minute recorded that the Mayor had advised that he commented at a private meeting between himself, the general manager and local residents (who had been flooded in Gundagai Place):

“I have a personal opinion and that is there are radicals in all political parties whether they be Liberal, Labour (sic) National or Greens that do not want to see creek and waterway systems cleared so as to prevent flooding of people's private premises, that is a personal opinion of mine.”