No show … so Pinar doesn’t go on

By Nicole Williams
A CONTROVERSIAL Greater Dandenong councillor is seeking legal advice after she was booted from her position this week.
On Monday Greater Dandenong CEO John Bennie announced that Pinar Yesil was no longer a councillor after she failed to attend her fourth consecutive council meeting.
Mr Bennie said Ms Yesil submitted apologies for the meetings but did not obtain a leave of absence which contravened the Local Government Act (LGA) and Council’s Meeting Procedure Local Law.
However, this is a claim Ms Yesil denies.
“I believe I have taken the necessary steps to comply with the Local Government Act,” she said.
“I have proof of the content of my correspondence with the CEO. I am currently seeking legal advice on my appeal rights.”
“While Ms Yesil did submit apologies prior to each ordinary council meeting, this does not meet the requirements prescribed in the LGA and Council’s Meeting Procedure Local Law,” Mr Bennie said.
“Pinar Yesil is therefore no longer a Councillor of the City of Greater Dandenong.”
Ms Yesil, who had been a councillor of seven years, went to Turkey on 3 July due to ‘urgent family health issues’ and she returned on Saturday 2 August to find she had been ousted from council.
Her councillor profile has already been removed from the City of Greater Dandenong website and her council mobile phone was disconnected on Monday.
Ms Yesil said she did not intend to renominate at the council election on 27 October.
“This is not the way I wanted to end my career on council. I am saddened by this turn of events,” she said.
“I hope that commonsense applies and I am afforded natural justice.”
Ms Yesil caused controversy during her term as mayor in 2009 when she was accused of not performing her mayoral duties, which escalated to her fearing for her safety from public backlash.
During her term, Ms Yesil implemented the Accessibility, Transparency and Accountability (ATA) Reform Charter, to make councillors more accountable to the community by publishing monthly expenses and attendance reports online.
Greater Dandenong Mayor Youhorn Chea said he acknowledged Ms Yesil’s contribution to council and her community over the last seven years.
“During her time as a councillor she continually strived to work hard for the whole community and to advocate strongly for her residents living in Paperbark Ward,” he said.
“It’s a regrettable situation. I wish her all the very best.”
Fellow Paperbark ward councillor Roz Blades said Ms Yesil’s sacking was an unusual situation and not something she had seen during her 21 years as a Greater Dandenong councillor.
Mr Bennie said it was unlikely the vacancy would be filled before the council elections on 27 October but it would be discussed at the upcoming meeting on Monday 10 September.
“Council acknowledges the contributions Pinar Yesil has made to the City of Greater Dandenong over her seven years of service,” he said.