PEACE does break out from time to time between the elected representatives of Newcastle City Council, but the dominant narrative remains the battle between Labor councillors on one side, and the conservatives on the other.

It is worth bearing this in mind when considering the censure motion facing Independent Councillor Kath Elliott at tonight's council meeting, following a consultant's finding that Cr Elliott committed a "serious breach" of the council's code of conduct.

In the latest of a series of complaints lodged against her, Cr Elliott is accused of swearing at the council's chief executive, Jeremy Bath, during a gathering of councillors behind closed doors back in late 2018.

Mr Bath told investigators Cr Elliott gave him "one of the most spectacular dressing downs" he'd ever had in corporate life.

Labor councillor Carol Duncan described Cr Elliott as "a bully".

Cr Elliott does not dispute swearing at Mr Bath, but in an age when four-letter words now rarely shock, words such as "bullshit" are hardly beyond the pale.

And it's part of her job to criticise council policies she disagrees with.

Whether they like it or not, Mr Bath and Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes are widely seen as acting hand in glove.

Indeed, Mr Bath was chosen, controversially, by the Labor/Greens majority after they had sacked his predecessor, Ken Gouldthorp, who in turn had been hand-picked by Jeff McCloy in his two years as lord mayor before resigning at the height of his ICAC controversy.

Together, Cr Nelmes and Mr Bath are viewed as having an iron grip over the affairs of the council.

Cr Elliott and her conservative colleagues are destined to be on the losing end of contested votes, but their contributions during council debates, and their forays into the media, can create difficulties for the Labor-dominated majority.

Her colleagues would agree that Cr Elliott is the most outspoken of the group.

She is to their side of the chamber what Cr Nelmes is to the progressive side.

On the available information it appears that at least 20 complaints have been lodged against Cr Elliott since her election in September 2017.

She says the majority are not upheld and that the complaints are political, vexatious and trivial.

The onus, then, is on Labor to prove this is not the case.

Otherwise, the censure motion will be widely interpreted as a show trial.

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