Rockingham councillor Craig Buchanan to step down from council by end of April

Craig Buchanan has announced he will be resigning as a councillor from the City of Rockingham’s Rockingham/Safety Bay ward.

He has been a councillor for six years and said the decision to step down did not come lightly.

His resignation is scheduled to take effect on Wednesday, April 30, as he plans to say a few valedictory words at the city’s council meeting scheduled for April 29.

“At the same time, I have indicated to both the mayor and the CEO a willingness to amend it to take immediate effect, if that is the preference of the council and the administration,” he said on social media.

“I remain in their hands in that final regard.”

He was voted in to council in 2019 on a platform of keeping rates below CPI and to introduce live-streaming of council meetings. He described his political philosophy as “small government, rarely interfering, yet always available at need”.

In recent years, he argued against the city’s rate increase plan, voted in favour to resume weekly bin collections and was part of the majority vote to scrap the council’s $20,000 meeting dinners.

“As a sitting councillor, my interpretation of the Local Government Act 1995 (WA) is such that I do not feel at liberty to go into detail as to the substantive reasons for my resignation at this time,” he said.

“All I can say is that I no longer have the level of personal confidence that I feel would be required in the city’s administrative procedures to allow me to continue to perform my role to the standard that both I and local ratepayers would expect.”

The Sound Telegraph believes the tipping point was the awarding of an event permit for the Lark Hill Race Day on April 26, which Cr Buchanan believed contravened the city’s outdoor events policy.

“It has been a pleasure to represent the ratepayers of the City of Rockingham over the past six years, and to fight for transparency and moderation in local government,” Cr Buchanan told the Sound Telegraph.

“It hasn’t always been easy, but that’s the nature of the job. Frequent rule changes over the past two years have meant that the job has got harder rather than easier, though.

“The State Government seems only too keen to rein in councillors in ways that it would never consider reining in its own MPs.”

Cr Buchanan said like any other job, there were parts of being a councillor he enjoyed more than others.

“Sitting on the grants sub-committee for a number of years was a real pleasure, as it allowed me to ensure that our funds were going to deserving community causes; and school visits were always a delight, handing out awards on behalf of the city, and recognising the achievements of our local young people,” he said.

“It is tempting to talk about legacy, but to be honest with you, I’ve never viewed the role in that light.

“I simply wanted to do the best job I could for ratepayers, and I hope that at least some will feel that I’ve succeeded in that more often than I’ve failed.”

The City of Rockingham has been contacted for comment.