COUNCILLOR Mark Weragoda says he regrets drink driving but that the City of Greater Bendigo should move on and leave the matter to the courts. 

The councillor for Eppalock fronted his second Councillor Code of Conduct panel last Friday in relation to an offence in March for which his licence was suspended for 12 months and he was fined $627.

“It’s been too long now, that was seven months ago and we don't need another councillor conduct issue hanging over this council,” he said. 

Cr Weragoda said he unreservedly apologised for the incident but had “paid the cost” before the law. 

“I got suspended for driving for 12 months so every day I wake up, I think about it,” he said. 

“It does change your life – there isn’t a day that at least some little aspect isn’t hindered.” 

Friday’s events followed a hearing in June and Cr Weragoda said the panel would now retire to make its decision.

“They well truly aware of the fact that I had already publicly apologised and that it’s not a council matter and I’m sure they’ve taken all that into account,” he said. 

Councillor Helen Leach referred Cr Weragoda to the panel after he was caught driving with a blood alcohol reading of 0.125 on March 6, initially denying the offence to the Bendigo Advertiser.

Cr Leach and  Councillor Elise Chapman also requested a Code of Conduct Panel last week over Councillor Peter Cox’s general conduct in his role as mayor.

Cr Cox would be the fourth member of the current council to face a Code of Conduct Panel this term – a record Cr Weragoda said was jeopardizing council’s ability to do its job. 

“In this day and age mediation seems a much better outcome than wasting energy and money [on conduct panels],” he said. 

“The quicker we can deal with these issues and move on the better.” 

In August, a Code of Conduct Panel ordered Cr Chapman apologise for tweeting an image of children with mutilated genitals to a supporter of Bendigo’s proposed mosque in February.