The committee chairman is Cr Doug Brown, backed up by his deputy, Cr Gerry Eckhoff. Cr Brown had formally indicated he would be unable to attend yesterday's meeting, so Cr Eckhoff was to chair it.
However, Cr Eckhoff put in an apology yesterday, too, leaving the committee, made up of all 11 councillors - although only six were there, without a leader.
That meant chief executive Graeme Martin had to briefly chair the meeting to ask for nominations for a temporary chairman for the meeting. Cr David Shepherd was nominated by council chairman Stephen Cairns for the job. He accepted and chaired the meeting.
Mr Martin said never in the history of the council had the executive officer needed to take the chair, except for the first meeting after the local body elections.
Cr Bryan Scott asked if there had been a gradual decrease in attendance by councillors at committee meetings during this term of local government.
Mr Martin said yesterday's situation was unusual and there had not been any deterioration in councillors' attendance at meetings.
