Local residents enjoy getting to know each other while taking a stand for public trees
We heard late Tuesday (22nd April) that the tree loppers would be coming the next morning to remove the two trees at Claymore Close. At short notice, over 30 people turned up at 7 am to make sure this didn’t happen. We enjoyed a breakfast in the park and the best bit was it became community building, with people getting to know each other. Fortunately no tree loppers came, but the media, including the Midland Reporter, the Echo, 6PR, ABC 720, Channel 7 and Channel 9 all took an interest!
We later heard that the CEO (Mike Foley) had ordered a 48 hour stay of execution as Cr Parasiliti was planning to move a new rescission motion to revoke the previous one to cut the trees down. This was great news, however, it was short-lived. By the end of the day we had heard that Cr Parasiliti was no longer planning to move a new rescission motion and other councillors who voted against it last time appear unwilling to support a motion and broader community consultation?
The CEO has indicated that the stay of execution will stand and with Anzac day on Friday, he said the trees would not be removed until Monday at the earliest. I encourage you to go visit the trees, call a councillor who voted against the previous rescission and ask them to reconsider (contact details below) and if you don’t hear otherwise, join us on Monday morning at 7 am for another community breakfast (note – please walk/ride or park at Woodbridge tavern/ East Guildford train station).
The saddest part of this saga is that the absence of a consultation process by the council has meant that the issue has now become divisive and started to turn the community against each other. Some residents of Claymore Close were not happy with us having a breakfast and parking in the street. I hope that they will appreciate that our disagreement is with the council, their poor decisions and processes and not them personally. We simply call on the council to follow its own advice and allow broader community consultation.
Finally, I will be delivering a request with 110 signatures from local residents for a Special Electors Meeting to the Mayor today. This requires that the Mayor call a meeting of electors within 35 days and allows everyone 3 mins to have their say on this matter and council meetings/processes. Us the electors can then move our own motions to be passed, and although non-binding on council, they are required to address them at the next council meeting. In light of this, I have asked all councillors that they support a rescission and stay of execution on the trees until this meeting can take place. Stay tuned for date/details.
For now I encourage everyone to call the councillors below, we only need 2 more to support the motion. And come attend the next ordinary council meeting on Wednesday 7th May (above the Midland Library).
Councillors who voted against the last rescission motion:
Cr Daniel Parasiliti: 0403 241 821, daniel.parasiliti@swan.wa.gov.au
Cr Mark Elliott: 0458 660 804, mark_d_elliott@live.com
Mayor Charlie Zaninno: 9267 9104, charlie.zannino@swan.wa.gov.au
Cr Darryl Trease: 0418 917 513, darryl.trease@swan.wa.gov.au
Cr Patty Williams: 0428 882 778, patty.williams@swan.wa.gov.au
Cr Sandra Gregorini: 9294 1827, sgregorini@globaldial.com
Cr Maria Haynes: 0417 097 486, mariah@bigpond.net.au
Cr John McNamara: 9249 5039, jmac@globaldial.com
Cr Natasha Cheung was absent, but you can call her to get her support for a new rescission motion: 0433 288 953, n_ben5@hotmail.com
Transition Town Guildford 
Hello, no one at the trees at 7-05 Monday 28/4 ?
Apologies Tony. Sent a TTG email yesterday and posted on Facebook page, but didn’t think to update the blog. It was late notice as wanting confirmation that motion was supported.
Update on Claymore Close Trees: Councillor Mel Congerton has moved a new rescission motion which 8 councillors have supported, so we’ve been assured the trees will be safe tomorrow (Monday) and hopefully till the next council meeting on Wednesday 7th May.
Thanks for turning up!