Kent Johns has pulled out of seeking re-election as Sutherland Shire mayor at tonight’s council meeting following allegations of special favours being given to developers and others with Liberal Party connections.
Mr Johns said he had referred the matters, raised in a series of reports in Fairfax Media, to the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Department of Planning.
‘‘The matters have to be cleared up, and and I don’t want to be a distraction from what council needs to do,’’ he said.
Liberal Party councillors, who comprise two-thirds of the council, will decide before tonight’s meeting who will be mayor for the next year.
Mr Johns denied any wrong-doing, and said he had never received any personal benefit.
He believed he had made ‘‘a lot of enemies’’ by ‘‘trying to change the culture of the council too quickly’’.
Mr Johns admitted inquiries made by the Fairfax investigative team last week influenced him to pull out of seeking Liberal Party pre-selection for the Miranda by-election.
Full story in tomorrow’s Leader.
Should there be a public inquiry into the allegations?
