This issue depends on how much of the original contracted duties of the Body Corporate Manager (BCM) the particular Committee member has taken over, what they have decided to take over, and why they have decided to take over.
Even though a BCM has a contract with the body corp to undertake certain duties this does not mean that the Committee are not permitted to assume their legislated roles ever again during the life of the BCM contract. The legislation permits the Committee to retain their roles should they feel the need to do so e.g. a Secretary may still call a meeting.
What I would be watchful of is the Committee chairperson taking on roles and functions that belong to other Committee members, such as the specific roles of the Secretary and/or the Treasurer. These roles are outside of the authority of the Chairperson. This, to me, would present more of a problem.
Something that is not often understood by some Chairpersons is that although the title of ‘Chairperson’ sounds important the Chairperson himself/herself has a very a limited role in the Committee e.g. limited to Chairing the meetings. Both the Secretary and the Treasurer arguable having a far more significant and impactful role in calling meetings and in undertaking other administrative tasks.
The chairperson does not have more authority than anyone else on the committee.
Transparency is the key issue. Are the records being kept in a satisfactory manner now that the Chairperson has ‘taken over’?
I have personally experienced situations where a dominant Chairperson tried to take over the roles of every other Executive Committee member, and the BCM. It was a not a pleasant couple of years!