Why did Bloom quit?

Shire of Broome president Graeme Campbell has survived a leadership challenge in a failed coup led by Jenny Bloom, his deputy who resigned last Friday.

Ms Bloom and fellow councillors Harold Tracey and Desiree Male called a special behind-closed-doors meeting with Mr Campbell and council chief executive Kenn Donohoe last Tuesday.

Crisis talks between eight of the nine elected councillors were held later in the week, with Ms Bloom calling for the immediate resignation of Mr Campbell.

It is understood Ms Bloom said the town had suffered irreparable damage under his leadership and she was unhappy he had not engaged with key Browse Basin companies such as Shell, Woodside and Inpex and their contractors by inviting their business to Broome.

Mr Campbell was understood to have told councillors he and Mr Donohoe could have been more communicative with them in relation to their contacts and endeavours to build relationships with prospective businesses to town.

Councillors have told the _Broome Advertiser _Mr Campbell has committed to developing better teamwork and opening more channels of communication with his colleagues.

Mr Campbell has previously indicated he will retire from local government in October 2015.

He has been a local councillor for almost 12 years and has served as Shire president for the past decade.

He said Ms Bloom's resignation last Friday was "regrettable" and "disappointing".

"She has been a hardworking councillor for the past five years and was involved in significant issues dealt with by the council," he said.

Ms Bloom said in a statement released last week she could not deliver on her election mandate to work to secure Broome's future.

"It has become clear to me that I cannot deliver on those promises from within this council," she said.

Ms Bloom, whose term as Shire councillor was not due to finish until 2017, said there was a need for "strong civic leadership" to guide the community into the "new world" fast approaching the North West.

She said she was "frustrated" at making no headway after five years of trying to bring about change and a new approach to building Broome's prosperity.

The council will now have to decide whether to hold a by-election or seek State Government approval to operate with the eight remaining councillors until the next local government elections in October, 2015.