The protocol, approved by chief executive officer Craig Niemann on April 6, restricted all of Ms Hoskin’s communications with staff to email.

It was issued in response to Ms Hoskin’s admission that she was recording telephone conversations with staff and her alleged refusal to state whether she was recording council briefings.

All “new requests” from Ms Hoskin were to be submitted by email to both the council’s governance manager and mayor Margaret O’Rourke. The request would then be assigned to the “appropriate person”, and only email correspondence could be used.

Ms Hoskin was still allowed to have face-to-face and telephone conversations with Mr Niemann “by appointment only” with requests in writing.

The protocol came into effect from April 10.

Ms Hoskin said it stopped her from carrying out her duties as a councillor, given their workload covering a wide range of decisions that require consultation with council staff.

She took a leave of absence for several months this year, which she said was in response to health concerns caused by the actions of the council.

In the protocol, Mr Niemann said it was to “formalise” ways that Ms Hoskin could interact with council staff.

“This protocol has become necessary to ensure that all staff enjoy a safe working environment that aligns with the values and behaviours of the organisation,” he wrote.

It was the only protocol issued in relation to Ms Hoskin, according to Cr O’Rourke.

Cr O’Rourke said there were other alleged breaches of the councillor code of conduct.

“Other ongoing behavioural issues contrary to the six principles of the code of conduct (responsiveness, integrity, impartiality, accountability, respect and leadership) also strained the working relationship between Ms Hoskin and other councillors and staff,” she said.

“In Victoria it is not illegal to record a telephone or private conversation. However, the behaviour is in breach of the councillor code of conduct, which Ms Hoskin signed at the start of the council term, and the values and behaviours of the organisation.

“Ms Hoskin’s behaviour put at risk staff and fellow councillors’ confidence in providing advice and speaking freely regarding council business.

“In some instances the information was private or confidential in nature, in other instances the information would have been deemed public, however it is the action of recording people without their knowledge that is a breach of respect and trust, which then made it difficult to work collaboratively with Ms Hoskin.”

The council listed four points from the councillor charter as a reason for issuing the protocol to Ms Hoskin.

They included “providing members of the community with the best possible quality of life through the provision of excellent services, leadership and advocacy”, “increasing the confidence of members of the community in the council” and that “councillors and staff need to work together in a manner that combined their essential skills, knowledge and experience”.

Ms Hoskin sent her resignation to the council on Friday, which was formally accepted on Monday.

Her resignation email was sent one day after she was declared bankrupt by the Federal Court as part of legal action taken against her by anti-mosque law firm Robert Balzola and Associates, who Ms Hoskin engaged during her fight against the approval of Bendigo’s first mosque.

Ms Hoskin said her resignation was unrelated to her bankruptcy and she intended to resign last Friday due to other reasons.

A countback will be held in the Whipstick Ward in mid-October, with candidate Thomas Prince and former mayor Peter Cox the frontrunners to replace Ms Hoskin.