Updated: 4th February
Municipal monitors have been announced to guide the recruitment of a chief executive officer at the City of Greater Geelong, as flagged last month by the Minister for Local Government Melissa Horne.
Prue Digby and Peter Dorling have been appointed for 12 months and will also support the council’s “transition back to good governance.”
Minister Horne said the two monitors have extensive experience, skills and knowledge to guide the City of Greater Geelong to refocus on its community.
Ms Digby recently completed a term as municipal monitor to South Gippsland Shire Council. Mr Dorling is a previous administrator (2016-2018) and monitor (2019) to Greater Geelong council.
The minister’s intervention is in response to a recommendation from the Chief Municipal Inspector who is investigating the council’s CEO appointment process, focussing on integrity and transparency.
According to a source quoted in the Geelong Advertiser (4th Feb 2023, p.5), the investigation and recommendation to appoint monitors followed a complaint by a person connected to the council; and the names of candidates may have been spread beyond the members of the recruitment committee,
It’s understood candidate interviews were about to occur when the Minister’s announcement of the intention to appoint monitors was made.