Councillors Amanda Findley and Andrew Guile made the claims after a sometimes explosive council meeting on Tuesday night, where council voted against a buy back option on the 1400 hectare Comberton Grange property.

Crs Findley and Guile both voted against the motion not to renew a deed of agreement over the property, for which the sale was finally settled with the Shaolin Foundation in late February.

In a meeting where emotions again ran high, Cr Gash at one stage even left the mayoral desk during confidential session and spoke from the floor of council about councillors’ acceptable behaviour.

“My work place is unpleasant and toxic,” Cr Findley said.

“The constant bickering between Gash and Guile is completely unbearable, with Gash constantly telling Guile to grow up.

“This is not a democracy but a dictatorship.”

She claims Team Gash stages not so secret, secret meetings, and “are openly caucusing in council offices despite the Code of Conduct frowning on this.”

“The evidence is there every week, when I turn up at 3pm and all the councillors cars are there and I can hear them in the mayor’s office behind closed doors.”

She said the fact that there was a unanimous vote in the Property Steering Committee which had been completely overturned in the space of a week also pointed to caucusing.  

“Any idea that other non-team councillors are welcome is completely ludicrous. Any shred of respect I had for the mayor and her team has gone.”

The usually soft-spoken Cr Findley in frustration even dropped the F Bomb during debate, which she said “wasn’t acceptable” and “took full responsibility and apologised for”.

At times tearful, Cr Findley flagged her intention to refer the matter to the Office of Local Government.

“I don’t think I have a choice but to make a complaint,”

Cr Guile claimed “Shoalhaven City Council is now a haven for bullying and intimidation for anyone who attempts to call the mayor to account in the public interest or even just holds a different point of view.”

“After all, she controls the votes,” Cr Guile said.

“While council has released the decision publicly, all the discussions were held in the confidential session restricting our ability to canvas the options and the details.

“The public also missed a vitriolic performance by Mayor Gash with yet another ham-fisted failed attempt to throw me out of the chamber among a barrage of puerile insults.

“As for any organisation, the tone is set at the top.”

Cr Gash said Cr Findley was entitled to her opinion.

“I can only do what I do as mayor,” she said.

“I will run the chamber as it should be run, with respectfulness for everyone.

“I don’t believe in intimidation or bullying and won’t allow that to happen in the chamber.

“We are there to do the work for the community; we are not there for political reasons.

“It is not the Bear Pit. It is not state or federal government.

“We have been elected by local people to work for the community.

“And that’s what I intend to do.

“I intend to be mayor for the next 18 months and councillors need to realise, as I said at the beginning, I expected to be respected and respect given to other people in the chamber.

“You may not get on with or like the other people but you will respect them while they are in the chamber.

“And that includes the position of mayor.”

The mayor fired back at Cr Guile, saying: “He should know about intimidation and bullying as he does a good job of it.

“It is time to call him into account every time he does it. I will not allow any councillor to do that.

“He [Cr Guile] thinks it’s a game, it’s not at all.

“Everyone is entitled to have their say and will continue to have their say.”

Do you know more? Email robert.crawford@fairfaxmedia.com.au