Six Orange councillors declare links to school tree, development and funding matters

The declarations included family connections to Orange Anglican Grammar School, a home near the 8 Connemara Drive development site and memberships of local clubs involved in donation requests.

Council: Orange City Council

Meeting: 1 Sep 2026 6:00 PM

Recorded status: mixed


BRIEF

Orange City Council’s 1 September minutes record six councillors declaring non-pecuniary interests in matters involving Orange Anglican Grammar School, 8 Connemara Drive and local donation requests. A resolution permitting removal of the school’s 18-metre Southern Blue Gum passed 7-4, with replacement planting and timber-reuse conditions.


KEY FACTS

- Peterson, Ruddy and McDonell declared interests in the Orange Anglican Grammar School tree-removal matter.

- McDonell declared an interest in the 8 Connemara Drive development application because she lived nearby.

- Judge declared a significant non-pecuniary interest in a donation request involving players from Orange Centrals Cricket Club, which he led as president.

- Power and Mayor Mileto declared interests in a Gnoo Blas Classic Car Club donation request because they were club members.

- The school tree-removal resolution passed 7-4, with Peterson and Ruddy voting for it and McDonell voting against it.


ANALYSIS OF THE RECORD

- The school resolution passed despite declared interests appearing on both sides of the vote. The minutes do not explain the basis for individual votes.

- The record identifies the declarations and the school-item result, but does not provide participation or outcome details for the development and donation matters in the supplied record.


QUESTIONS FOR FOLLOW-UP REPORTING

- Did any councillors who declared interests leave or abstain during the development and donation items?

- What were the recorded outcomes of the 8 Connemara Drive and donation matters?

- If the school proceeds with removal, when will it remove the tree and plant the required replacements?


RECORDED NEXT STEPS

- The school tree-removal resolution requires six replacement trees to be planted within the school grounds.

- The resolution requires the school to arrange harvesting and treatment of the tree's wood for reuse and make it available free to the community. A suitable replacement must be determined with Council's Manager City Presentation and planted in the tree's place using minimum 100-litre advanced stock sourced within the Orange region.


SOURCE PASSAGES

Peterson, Ruddy and McDonell declared non-significant non-pecuniary interests in the Orange Anglican Grammar School tree matter: Peterson and Ruddy each had a child attending, while McDonell lived nearby and had extended family attending.
"ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES 1 SEPTEMBER 2026 Page 2 1.3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Mayor conducted an Acknowledgement of Country. 1.4 DECLARATION OF PECUNIARY INTERESTS, SIGNIFICANT NON-PECUNIARY INTERESTS AND LESS THAN SIGNIFICANT NON-PECUNIARY INTERESTS Cr Peterson declared a Non-Significant Non-Pecuniary Interest in Item 4.2 - Notice of Motion - Tree Removal Request - Orange Anglican Grammar School as he has a child that attends the school. Cr Ruddy declared a Non-Significant Non-Pecuniary Interest in Item 4.2 - Notice of Motion - Tree Removal Request - Orange Anglican Grammar School as she has a child that attends the school. Cr McDonell declared a Non-Significant Non-Pecuniary Interest in Item 4.2 - Notice of Motion - Tree Removal Request - Orange Anglican Grammar School as she resides nearby and has extended family that attends the school." (Declarations of interest for Item 4.2)

McDonell declared a non-significant non-pecuniary interest in the 8 Connemara Drive development application because she resides nearby, and separately declared the same category of interest in a donation request because of previous performance in an orchestra.
"Cr McDonell declared a Non-Significant Non-Pecuniary Interest in PDC Item 2.3 - Development Application DA 152/20261) - 8 Connemara Drive as she resides nearby. Cr McDonell declared a Non-Significant Non-Pecuniary Interest in FPC Item 2.1-2(c) - Small Donations - Requests for Donations as she has previously performance in the orchestra." (PDC Item 2.3 and FPC Item 2.1-2(c))

Judge declared a significant non-pecuniary interest in a donation request because he was president of Orange Centrals Cricket Club, whose players were involved in the event. Power and Mileto declared non-significant non-pecuniary interests in another donation request because they were members of Gnoo Blas Classic Car Club.
"Cr Judge declared a Significant Non-Pecuniary Interest in FPC Item 2.1-2(i) - Small Donations - Requests for Donations as he is the President of Orange Centrals Cricket Club that has players involved in the event. Cr Power declared a Non-Significant Non-Pecuniary Interest in FPC Item 2.1-2(k) - Small Donations - Requests for Donations as he is a member of Gnoo Blas Classic Car Club. Cr Mileto declared a Non-Significant Non-Pecuniary Interest in FPC Item 2.1-2(k) - Small Donations - Requests for Donations as he is a member of Gnoo Blas Classic Car Club." (FPC Items 2.1-2(i) and 2.1-2(k))

Council permitted Orange Anglican Grammar School to remove an 18-metre mature Southern Blue Gum in a children's play area because of the school's safety concerns. The resolution requires six replacement trees within the grounds, harvesting and treatment of the wood for manufacture, free community access to the wood, and a suitable replacement determined with Council's Manager City Presentation using minimum 100-litre advanced stock sourced within the Orange region.
"RESOLVED - 26/496 Cr S Peterson/Cr K Duffy 1 That the Orange Anglican Grammar School be permitted to remove a 18m tall mature Southern Blue Gum (Eucalyptus Globulus ) tree located in a children's play area due to safety concerns from the school 2 That six (6) replacement trees be planted within the school grounds 3 That Orange Anglican Grammar School ensure a process is implemented to ensure that the wood from the tree is harvested and appropriately treated to enable it to be reused for manufacture 4 That the wood be made available free of charge to the community; and 5 That a suitable replacement be determined in conjunction with Council's Manager City Presentation to be planted in its place and such replacement is to be a minimum 100L advanced stock sourced within the Orange Region." (Resolution 26/496, Item 4.2)

The voting list records seven votes in favour and four against, with Peterson and Ruddy voting for and McDonell voting against.
"For: Cr T Greenhalgh (Deputy Mayor), Cr K Duffy, Cr G Judge, Cr F Kinghorne, Cr S Peterson, Cr M Ruddy, Cr J Stedman Against: Cr T Mileto (Mayor), Cr D Mallard, Cr M McDonell, Cr G Power Absent: Cr J Whitton *Cr Judge left the meeting with the time being 10.16pm* 5 GENERAL REPORTS 5.1 DISABILITY INCLUSION ACTION PLAN 2026-2030 - POST-EXHIBITION TRIM REFERENCE: 2026/1273 RESOLVED - 26/497 Cr D Mallard/Cr G Power That Council adopt the Blayney Cabonne Orange Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2026-2030." (Vote following Resolution 26/496)


SOURCES

https://orange.infocouncil.biz/RedirectToDoc.aspx?URL=Open/2026/09/CCL_01092026_MIN_16021.PDF

https://minutesradar.com/news/orange-infocouncil-council-1-sep-2026-6-00-pm-1-sep-2026-6-00-pm-minutes-orange-councillors-disclose-links-to-school-tree-vote-8-connemara-9fb7517e73/


Prepared from public council minutes using automated drafting and checks. No meeting attendance or interviews are implied. Check the original record and seek comment before republishing claims or analysis. Illustrations are generic, not depictions of actual projects.