THE perils of the guest list could not be better demonstrated by the brawl that has broken out over the pre-meeting meeting of Shoalhaven City councillors last week.

At the heart of the row is whether a block of Shoalhaven City councillors predetermined how they would vote and what they should

vote on at last week’s extra-ordinary council meeting, called to make a decision on the controversial Ulladulla Development Control Plan (DCP 56).

While without proper records kept from the meeting it is impossible to prove the suspicion among councillors who were not present because they were uninvited that caucusing took place, it displays recklessness that the meeting was held in the first place.

With all that has transpired with South Coast councils this year, doing anything that gives the Department of Local Government or the Independent Commission Against Corruption grounds for another inquiry is extremely foolish. And last Tuesday’s gathering is exactly that.

To hold it without ensuring everyone was invited only adds to the suspicion that decisions are being made beyond public view and this does no one any good, least of all the Mayor and his party, the Shoalhaven Independents Group.

This wrong-footed exercise at the last gasp of the current council has played right into the hands of those baying for change.