How a Commissioner has managed a local government after the entire City Council was suspended

[BF]

[quote=ABC News]Former Tasmanian MP Sue Smith has spent a sometimes lonely six months at Glenorchy City Council, making decisions in place of the 10 suspended aldermen.

And she could be on her lonesome for another six months, unless the Glenorchy aldermen can convince the State Government they can put past differences behind them and get back to work.

Local Government Minister Peter Gutwein suspended the council in February after years of infighting and fiery council meetings, and has indicated he might ask Ms Smith to run the operation for another six months.

A board of inquiry into the council issues was due to report next month but is now on hold because of legal proceedings.

Mr Gutwein said he needed the board's report to make a decision about the council's future.

He has also asked aldermen to tell him why he should not keep them suspended another six months.

Ms Smith, the former president of the Upper House, has been at the helm as the appointed commissioner since February.[/quote]

Read more at [url]http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-17/lonely-life-for-sue-smith-glenorchy-commissioner/8716366[/url]

For a bit of context, Australia only has a single level of local government; none of this county, municipality or special district nonsense. Just local government areas with each having a Council. The only elected positions are the Aldermen/Councillors, with the Mayor often appointed from within the Council, but they are separately elected in some LGAs. So no stupid elections for judges, sheriffs or clerks, either.

[Bob The Knob]

Similar thing in the UK, Rotherham Borough Council was taken over by the government in 2015 after they were found to have failed to protect children from sexual abuse. They're returning to an elected council in 2019