Foreshore furore: Bid to save view-blocking trees deepens council division in South Perth

Six trees along the South Perth foreshore that a handful of residents lobbied to be removed could yet be saved with a motion in the wings to rescind last week’s decision from a council in increasing upheaval.

A controlling four councillor votes had supported residents who were aggrieved by the prospect of future views from their houses along riverfront Jubilee Street, worth between $2.35-$5.5 million, being interrupted.

They voted against the views of the majority of the community, City of South Perth administrative staff, and against the three councillors who voted to retain the trees.

But that’s not the end of the matter.

South Perth councillor Nic Coveney, who moved the motion, on Friday afternoon tendered his resignation, writing on his Facebook page that following the birth of his son in early June he had flagged his intention with the City to resign after last week’s meeting, two years before his term was supposed to end.

His resignation leaves both councillor positions in the Mill Point Ward empty after fellow councillor Mary Choy announced her immediate resignation for personal reasons on May 21.

This masthead understands one of the remaining councillors has moved a revocation motion regarding the tree decision, which will appear on the agenda for the August council meeting, and that the motion will have the required three votes to support its inclusion.

Mayor Greg Milner is likely to be among those, having argued against last week’s motion as against “the best long-term interests of our community as a whole” and setting a concerning precedent.

The motion’s success, however, is not guaranteed, requiring a unanimous decision from the seven remaining council members.

There is also a challenge afoot from ratepayers, with the City of South Perth Tree Canopy Advocates group having launched a petition for a special electors’ meeting to express a lack of confidence in the council decision and concern over its “permitting the interests of a limited group of individuals to take precedence over those of the broader community”.

The petition will require 300 signatures to proceed.

The councillor resignations are not the only recent upheavals at the City of South Perth, with respected chief executive Mike Bradford tendering his resignation in February after overseeing four years of continuous improvement at the organisation, including turning around its previously troubled finances.

City of South Perth director of corporate services Garry Adams tendered his resignation in May after 3½ years with the organisation, and after just one month acting in Bradford’s role, to accept the position of chief executive at the Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes.

This masthead has been reporting for several years on division within South Perth council, which killed off an $80 million aquatic and recreation hub project opposite Curtin University after a decade of planning.

The process of removing and replanting the “view-blocking” trees is estimated to cost around $30,000.

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