WITH no one admitting responsibility for making code of conduct complaints costing Orange City Council more than $26,000, councillor Glenn Taylor says it has cast serious doubts on the culprit’s suitability for re-election in September.
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Earlier this year, general manager Garry Styles reported four code of conduct complaints had been lodged since September 2012 at a cost of $112,120.
One contained 24 allegations against several councillors and council staff, but no action was taken on 23 of them and the remaining one had already been dealt with prior to the complaint being made. Investigating the allegations cost $26,640.
The Central Western Daily has approached each of the 12 councillors to verify the complainant’s identity, however each denied it was them.
Cr Taylor, who has previously called for the culprit to reimburse the money or resign, said it meant someone was publicly lying. He believed the complainant was an elected representative.
“If it’s a councillor, that would have to bring doubts about their probity to be a councillor,” he said.
“This person has made 24 complaints, not two, not four, but 24 that were totally unsubstantiated, but they’ve thrown mud in the hope some might stick and cost the ratepayers of Orange $26,000,” he said.
“If a serious one was proven we would say OK, but not one was proven - it’s an absolute disgrace.”
With the code of conduct process confidential, including the identities of the complainants and those they complain about, and protected against Government Information (Public Access) requests to reveal names, Cr Taylor said he would seek legal advice on the matter.
“I’ll give the person an opportunity to admit to it - I don’t see a problem releasing the name if it’s the truth,” he said.
“If this person believes I’m going to give up and let it go, they better think again.”
danielle.cetinski@fairfaxmedia.com.au
