By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
A SECOND public showdown is expected tonight (Monday) between the Greater Dandenong mayor and chief executive versus two councillors – who are the subject of a “private and confidential” probe.
Councillors Peter Brown and Maria Sampey, who are pushing for the public release of an investigation report into them, say they had been expecting chief executive John Bennie to table details at tonight’s council meeting of how councillors can access the report.
However there is no mention of the issue on the council meeting agenda, which was issued last Thursday.
The accused pair, as well as other councillors, have not yet read nor been supplied a copy of the report.
“The CEO said he was going to provide a report to the council this Monday,” Cr Brown said.
“But it’s not on the agenda. It will just make it easier for me to ask pointed questions to the mayor and CEO, which I will be doing.”
In what promises to be a sequel to the public interogation of mayor Angela Long and Mr Bennie by the accused pair of councillors last month, Cr Brown will table emails showing his correspondence with council officers over a botched footpath project in Noble Park.
The investigation, initiated by mayor Angela Long and Mr Bennie, looked into council staff feeling “hurt and distressed” by Crs Brown and Sampey’s conduct over the project.
“I have nothing to hide,” Cr Brown said.
“On two occasions the CEO told the council he received no formal complaint. “Under any view of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, it has been misused (by launching this investigation).”
The investigation report was completed by local governance consultants CT Management and M+K Lawyers.
Under the council’s workplace complaints resolution policy, such an external investigation “engaged through a legal adviser” happens in “rare and extreme circumstances”.
They are initiated when a formal complaint is made and “after specific consultation” with the chief executive.
It can be launched if the “initial assessment” of the complaint determines an extreme impact, apparent resolution is longer-term, expected timelines for investigation are long and complex, the “organisational/team related” implications are significant or other modes of investigation are inappropriate.
The council did not comment on the matter.
