A Sydney mayor facing an investigation over an apparently improper home renovation has also lost two jobs worth up to $175,000 and been ordered by his own council to shut down works on his home.
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Fairfax Media published pictures of the Oatlands home of local Liberal player and emeritus mayor of Parramatta Council, John Chedid. They showed construction work seemed to far exceed the "alterations and additions" approved as there was no house left.
A week from hell followed for Cr Chedid. On Monday, he was part of a clean out at Eels headquarters and sacked as the CEO of the Parramatta Eels' controversial Premiership Club, depriving him of a salary of $150,000 a year.
Mr Chedid was deprived of more income, up to $25,000, after he stood aside from a board designed to advise the council through the year-long process of merging with several neighbouring councils.
"I agree that it is in the best interests of the council for Mr Chedid to stand aside," said the administrator of Parramatta Council, Amanda Chadwick.
Cr Chedid declined to comment. The council said that, after a meeting with Ms Chadwick, Cr Chedid had chosen to stand aside while the investigation into his "renovations" ran its course.
A third blow arrived in the form of a thick yellow envelope secured to the fence outside his home.
Council inspectors had ordered the three-time mayor to immediately stop all work on his "renovations" while they investigated whether they breached the rules.
What the council does next will be watched closely. The state government has increased penalties for breaching development consents and fines can now top $1 million.
Councillor Raymond Harty of the Hills Shire council, which originally approved the plans, called for more scrutiny on private certifiers who approved building works.
The Premiership Club is a company adjunct to the Eels football team and had the mission of "passionately supporting" it to win premierships.
Cr Chedid was party to the creation of a plan to pay Eels players up to $75,000 a year from the council's budget to act as "ambassadors" for the city of Parramatta.
That plan was later dumped by the council amid growing questions about whether the club's board was deliberately looking for ways to subvert the NRL salary cap.
Other senior Eels staff, including the chief operating officer, were also fired on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Ryde deputy mayor who came to public attention for telling one senior public servant she was "better as a housewife" and calling another "cuddles" despite her protests, has also been punished.
The council officially carried a motion to censure councillor Roy Maggio this week, meaning at least one of his Liberal colleagues crossed party lines to support the findings of a report into the housewife remark. The vote was confidential.
Do you know more? jrobertson@fairfaxmedia.com.au
