BRIMBANK residents have renewed calls for the sacking of current councillors amid fears nothing has changed at the troubled council.

Spectators at last week’s ordinary meeting, the first since the release of the controversial Ombudsman’s report, claimed corruption exposed in the former council was still rife and called for current councillors to stand down.

The meeting was scrutinised by the Opposition, including local government spokeswoman Jeanette Powell and government scrutiny spokesman David Davis, along with a packed gallery of residents.

In an explosive start to the meeting, television film crews were banned from entering the civic centre, mayor Troy Atanasovski claiming they could interfere with meeting procedures.

Harvester Ward councillor Geraldine Brooks moved an urgent motion to allow cameras to enter the council chambers but with no seconder to back her up, the motion was rejected.

Cr Atanasovski said that, as mayor of Brimbank, he had the final say on the issue.

“As chair of the meeting, I decided to restrict the cameras on the basis that they could interfere with the conduct of the meeting.”

Cr Atanasovski also claimed the cameras would take up too much space in the public gallery.

“We need to ensure we allow as much room for the public as possible,” Cr Atanasovski said.

In opening the meeting, council CEO Nick Foa said the council would hold a special meeting on 18 June to discuss the Ombudsman’s recommendations and look at ways to implement them.

“It’s important that matters are dealt with quickly and transparently,” Mr Foa said.

But Sunshine Residents and Ratepayers Association President Darlene Reilly called the meeting a farce.

She accused the council of continuing corrupt practices and called for councillors named in the Ombudsman’s report to step down.

“I think this council is actually worse than the last,” she said.

“Not only are they still voting as a faction, they seem to have no idea what they’re doing.”

Mr Davis said he feared the culture that plagued Brimbank was still apparent in the current council.

“I think the new council has got off on a bad foot following the Ombudsman’s report, with this decision to exclude television cameras and run a closed shop in that respect,” Mr Davis said.

Ms Powell said the decision to ban cameras was unprecedented.

“I’ve been a councillor myself and I’ve never heard of them being banned before,” she said.

“There’s no reason why cameras should not be allowed in.”

Mr Davis said the decision to bar cameras made the council look as though it had something to hide.

“An open and democratic council would not be afraid of the scrutiny involved in having television cameras present,” Mr Davis said.