In short:
All Wyndham City councillors have united to call for Mayor Preet Singh to resign, saying the situation is impacting council stability and community confidence. The move escalates the political crisis as legislation prevents councillors from removing the Mayor directly.
A united group of Wyndham City councillors has publicly called for Mayor Preet Singh to resign, escalating the political crisis at the council to a new level.
In a joint statement, councillors confirmed they had all signed a call for Cr Singh to step down, warning that the situation is now impacting the stability of the council and the wider Wyndham community.
“We, the Councillors of Wyndham City Council have united to call for the Mayor to resign to restore stability to the Council and the Wyndham Community,” the statement reads.
Councillors said they became aware on Monday that Cr Singh had provided a character reference for a man later convicted of child sex offences, and had initially attempted to resolve the matter privately.
“Since that time, we have been working behind the scenes to urge Cr Singh to step down. We can no longer remain silent.”
The statement makes clear the group’s position on the seriousness of the issue.
“Supporting child sex offenders is never acceptable in any form.”
There is no suggestion that Cr Singh was involved in any offending, and he has previously acknowledged the decision to provide the reference showed “very poor judgment.”
However, councillors argue the issue is now one of leadership and community confidence.
“The Wyndham community deserves a Mayor they can feel confidence in,” the statement continues.
“In an election year this is even more true as we ramp up our advocacy to secure funding for crucial projects.”
The councillors also directly questioned Cr Singh’s ability to continue in the role.
“We firmly believe that following Monday’s revelations and the Mayor’s refusal to resign, he is no longer fit to hold the Office of Mayor and will be unable to adequately perform the duties of the role.”
They say a resignation is the only path forward.
“Only a resignation will give us the opportunity to restore stability and get on with the job of delivering services and infrastructure for Wyndham.”
Despite the united call, councillors have confirmed their powers are limited under legislation.
“Under the Local Government Act 2020, Council is unable to remove a Mayor who has been elected for a term of one year.”
The situation leaves the future of Wyndham’s leadership uncertain, with pressure now firmly centred on whether Cr Singh will choose to step down.
FOLLOW US
