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The local government minister has said the upcoming council election result was be a chance for a fresh start – but that new conduct rules were now in place to pull rogue councillors into line.
"The elections provide the opportunity for the council to start anew and build a strong culture of good conduct and governance," Minister Natalie Hutchins said
"The majority of councillors do the right thing, but in rare cases when someone does the wrong thing it is important that we have quick and robust processes in place to deal with misconduct.”
The state government has already attempted to introduce that process. Late last year it changed the local government act to give councillor conduct panels the power to suspend councillors for six months.
In the last council term, four councillors were reprimanded by conduct panels.
The new code of conduct requirements require councils to have internal resolution procedures to address code breaches and engage an independent arbiter in the process.
The minister said the changes would provide a clear process for dealing with conduct issues and empower councils to take action against councillors doing the wrong thing.
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"Our new rules provide the support for Bendigo council to manage their own issues in the first instance and enable them to get on with the job of helping the city prosper," the minister said.
"I hope that there are no conflicts or need for councillor conduct panels over the next four years because like all councils they have a big job ahead of them."
The changes made last year also require councillors to make a declaration to abide by codes of conduct, a City of Greater Bendigo spokesperson explained.
Under the act, a councillor cannot act as a councillor until they have taken the ‘oath or affirmation of office’ and declare they have read and will abide by the code of conduct, which must be signed and dated before the city’s chief executive officer.
The new rules also stipulate a council must, within the period of four months after a general election, call a special meeting solely for the purpose of reviewing the councillor code of conduct and at that special meeting approve any necessary amendments.
Within one month of amendments to a councillor code of conduct being approved, a councillor must make a declaration stating they have read and will abide by the code.
This declaration must be made in writing and witnessed by the CEO. A person who fails to make such a declaration in accordance with the act is disqualified from continuing to be a councillor, the spokesperson said.