TIMELY AND ON THE MONEY

Coffee with a councillor: some frank

conversations with Joe Pentridge

By Joe Colbrook

Updated October 6 2024 - 9:25am, first published 5:55am

Joe Pentridge doesn't shy away from speaking his mind.

Nor does he make many apologies for his brash nature, which has led to repeated clashes with fellow councillors and administrative staff.

"Regrettably, one of my downfalls is I don't have a lot of respect for authority. I never have, I never will," Cr Pentridge said.

This has resulted in multiple referrals to the state government's Code of Conduct panel, and a legal battle between Cr Pentridge and the council over a bridge he built without planning permission.

So what does he make of his time on the City of Launceston council?

Councillor Joe Pentridge, who declined a coffee, at his property Glebe Farm. Picture by Paul Scambler

Serving the community is a curse

Previously a developer, Cr Pentridge said he felt his time on the council was a "curse" he had to endure, not an honour.

He was one of the seven first-term councillors elected in October 2022, which was an opportunity to serve the community that had given him "everything he had".

"I started council off by telling them that I was elected by this community. I was here to serve them. I wasn't here to make friends," Cr Pentridge said.

He said change was sorely needed at the council, and institutions had ossified around long-term members of its administrative and elected branches.

Cr Pentridge said things appeared to be "turning a corner" with new chief executive Sam Johnson, and the councillor was cautious to not tar all the organisation's employees with the same brush.

"There's a lot of good people in there. It's our administration that we've got the problems with, and that's why I'm hoping with Sam [Johnson] now, he will be like the old cliche - a new broom sweeps clean," he said.

His main issue with the council was how previous iterations of the council had delegated authorities to administration staff.

This is permitted under legislation, and the council publishes a register of delegated authorities on its website.

These range from enforcing litter and animal management policies, to representing the council in legal matters and deciding some development issues.

Cr Pentridge said the system had left elected representatives virtually powerless, and that delegated authorities should be reviewed at the start of every council term.

COMMENT: It needs to be said, albeit a bit rough around the edges this is a much more enlightening read than the Woosie Stuff served up by those who have gone before. This Councillor is disinclined to be seen at Ribbon Cuttings and Envelope Openings but he hit the mark when calling out Council's Delegated Authorities being handed to the hired help!