Complaints about the conduct or performance of Councillors (Section 177 of the Local Government Act 2009)

Chapter 6, Part 2, Division 6 of the Local Government Act 2009 (the Act) is about dealing with complains about the conduct and performance of councillors, to ensure that appropriate standards of conduct and performance are maintained and a councillor who engages in misconduct is disciplined.  Misconduct is defined in section 176 (3) of the Act.

 Section 177(12) of the Act requires the Chief Executive Officer to ensure that the public may inspect the part of the record that relates to outcomes of written complaints at the local government’s public office; or on its website.

Councillor Colin Burns

• Two written complaints have been received concerning the conduct of Cr Colin Burns on 16th November 2011.  The Chief Executive Officer has assessed that the complaints are about misconduct and has referred the complaints to the chief executive of the Department of Local Government and Planning.

By letter dated 31 October 2012 The Department of Local Government, Council was advised that whilst there may be evidence to warrant convening a Regional Disciplinary Review Panel it was considered that any further expenditure investigating the matter would not be a responsible use of public funds. Therefore the complaint is unsustained.