“They dropped a bomb on Cr Guile. I find it completely appalling to see such a personal and vindictive attack,” Cr Findley said.

“The hypocrisy of the meeting was appalling - Team Gash said they wanted to see new blood in different positions, yet they maintained all of the key positions within council as they have for the last two years,” she said.

“They changed nothing.

“I woke up Wednesday morning feeling a whole lot more disrespect towards all members of Team Gash who just showed a complete and utter adherence to the faithful leader. It was appalling politics. And obviously they had caucused as well.

“I’m not fan of Cr Guile, I have spent four years being completely torn to bits by him, but when you are in politics you have to learn to leave baggage at the door and do the best you can in each situation.

“I would have thought a politician the calibre of Jo Gash would have had plenty of expertise in this.”

Cr Findley said she offered the mayor a pragmatic solution of allowing Cr Guile to remain on SEATS for the duration of his elected term of one year and remains there and Cr White be an official observer, supported by council to go to the meetings and meet people on the committees and take part in a proper process for succession planning rather than a vote of no confidence to the current representative.

Cr Jim McCrudden said Cr Gash had a brain snap and her attack on Cr Andrew Guile was more personal and vicious than reasonable.

“I was astonished at the reason the Mayor gave, claiming Cr Guile had been negative about the council and therefore he would not properly represent the Shoalhaven on SEATS,” Cr McCrudden said.

“When you run this, with the fact that the council voted unanimously to commend Cr Guile for his work on SEATS, it would take a FBI code breaker to decipher the message it sends to the community other than that the Mayor and the Gash team had a sudden brain snap.

“There has been madness on council before but the reason given was crazy.”

Cr Gash the removal of Cr Guile from SEATS was a political vendetta.

“We made the decision merely because we want someone on SEATS who represents council as a team, represents the city as a whole and the projects that council wants to put forward,” she said.

“The position on SEATS is not one person’s personal position, Cr White put up her hand and I was happy to support that.

“Cr Guile has been on the committee six years and not once has he ever asked me as MP what should be happening for our area.

“Not once, since I have been mayor for the past two years, has ever approached me as to what projects should come forward from council or for the area."

She said Cr Guile’s attack was “a case of sour grapes”.

“I just hope Cr Guile now stops intimidating councillors, mind you that was not the reason for us not putting him back on,” Cr Gash said.

“As mayor of the city and mayor of the council I won’t tolerate bullying.

“I will not tolerate someone intimidating councillors, saying people are not suitable to be councillors or aren’t literate enough to be on council – those things don’t need to happen.

“We don’t want a councillor in that position that puts out negative comments about our council.”