Council thanks Lee Evans for scrapping Heathcote East car park plan at final meeting

Labor councillors were incensed the Liberals had the numbers on the night to pass a motion praising Heathcote MP Lee Evans for "listening to residents" and withdrawing the proposal.

The motion also requested the council write to Mr Evans and Transport Minister Rob Stokes thanking them for the decision.

Mayor Steve Simpson (independent) voted with Labor but they still lacked the numbers to defeat the motion.

Cr Diedree Steinwall (Labor) amended a motion she had given notice of before the about-turn, noting the concerns of residents at the lack of consultation and requesting a different approach with future infrastructure projects.

The Liberals successfully amended Cr Steinwall's motion, turning a negative into a positive.

Cr Steinwall said later "their actions demonstrated an outrageous lack of consideration for the residents of East Heathcote and, in fact, any community group in the shire".

Cr Carmelo Pesce (Liberal) said it was normal to announce a proposal and then have community consultation.

Cr Pesce said Mr Evans could have allowed the process to drag on, but had acted swiftly when it was obvious the community didn't want the car park and deserved to be thanked for that course of action.