Labor says the deal that allowed Carmelo Pesce to retain the role of mayor will give the Liberals a free reign in Sutherland Shire.
Prior to the mayoral election on Monday night, independent councillor Steve Simpson held the balance of power on the council, where there are seven Liberal and seven Labor members.
However, Labor claimed the deal done by Cr Simpson – a former Liberal, who was dumped from the team at the last election – to secure the deputy mayor’s job by supporting Cr Pesce no longer makes him independent.
"The mayoral election was less about Mayor Pesce maintaining his grip on the mayoral chains, and more about the triumphant return of Steve Simpson to the Liberal cause,” said Labor caucus chairman Peter Scaysbrook.
"It was the Return of the Queen of Sheba without the music.
"I expect council meetings to be a lot quieter now.
“With a clear Liberal majority the elected council with be free to pursue the Liberal vision without hindrance, a vision that is reflected in every disruptive building site, every choked intersection, every overflowing parking lot.
"Cr Simpson has found the 'cohesion' that was lacking in his previous independent status.
“He has now agreed to be told what to do, how to do it, and when to do it."
Cr Simpson said after the mayoral vote he would continue to put the interests of residents first, as he had during his 21 years on the council.
He also said Labor offered him the deputy mayoral position if he supported Cr Scaysbrook for mayor.
Labor councillor and former state MP Barry Collier again called for the shire’s mayor to be chosen by popular vote.
Mr Collier first advocated this step, which is allowed under the Local Government Act, in a speech in state parliament in 2010.
“The deals done and the promises made behind closed doors demonstrate, once again, the long-overdue need for our shire mayor to be directly elected by the people- rather than by the parties, their factions and their political allies,” he said.
Cr Collier said the present method of choosing a mayor was “an insult to democracy”.
“I put my trust in the people to make the best decision as to who should be the public face of the shire – and the only way to do that is to have a democratically elected mayor,” he said.
“For 112 years now, shire residents have had absolutely no say in who wears the mayoral robes.
“When we go to a polling booth in a state of federal election we always know who the candidates are for the Prime Minister’s job or the Premier’s job, but we have absolutely no idea who is running for the top job in the shire.”