Most Councillors think carefully before asking for a legal opinion on an issue and in spending Council money on lawyers (just line their pockets?). However, there are times when we, as individuals, and Council, as a group, do not have the expertise. Most of Unley's alleged $264,000 was spent representing Council DAP decisions in the ERD Court. Often there is an important principle at stake and not just trying to win a single case. In particular Councils refusal to allow a demolition of a heritage listing building set a precedent for others wishing to do the same. Council thought this was an important principle to win.
In recent times I have requested 2 legal opinions; one was whether or not I had a conflict of interest when matters about Clarence Park Community Centre (I am on the Board) are debated at Council (I do not). The other resulted from my now being a member of the Development Assessment Panel and the fact that my son had already written an article in the Eastern Courier on a development that will come before the DAP (the juries out on this one). Is all of this money well spent?
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