Embattled Wagga council general manager Alan Eldridge has bowed to intense pressure from councillors and temporarily stepped down from his role.
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It comes after The Daily Advertiser revealed Mr Eldridge failed to declare a pecuniary interest over his son’s involvement in a property development subject to council rezoning.
Just hours after staunchly refusing to step aside pending an investigation, Wagga mayor Greg Conkey early this afternoon confirmed Mr Eldridge had agreed to voluntarily stand down.
The Daily Advertiser understands mayor Greg Conkey and deputy mayor Dallas Tout privately met with Mr Eldridge for two hours this morning before Mr Eldridge decided to step aside.
Councillors at both ends of the political spectrum had earlier today declared council general manager Alan Eldridge’s position untenable until claims of impropriety are combed over.
The independent investigation will be undertaken by an investigator appointed by council’s solicitors, in the hope of receiving a report into the allegations by March 31.
Wagga Ratepayers’ Group founder Wes Fang applauded Mr Eldridge’s decision but urged the Office of Local Government – the government body responsible for administering local government legislation – to take charge.
“It was council's legal advisers who initially cleared the general manager of allegations of conflict of interest,” Mr Fang said.
“They are conflicted and it is not appropriate they appoint an investigator to effectively clear their own work.”
Councillor Tim Koschel said Mr Eldridge had made the right decision.
“This is not an admission of guilt, Alan has stood aside to let the investigation take place,” Cr Koschel said.
“This is the best course of action to ensure full transparency.”
Riverina Regional Library Executive Director Robert Knight will be acting general manager for the next month and nine days.
Earlier today councillors Vanessa Keenan, Paul Funnell, Daniel Hayes publicly called for Mr Eldridge to stand down.
Cr Funnell was not satisfied with Mr Eldridge’s assurances he was on solid legal ground despite failing to disclose his son had a financial stake in a planning matter debated in chambers on three separate occasions.
“It’s not for Alan Eldridge or his lawyers to decide what's right and wrong,” Cr Funnell said.
Councillors Keenan and Hayes said “it is clear in publicly available documents that there was a conflict that was easily identifiable”.