A councillor at Golden Plains Shire has been suspended for one month after being found by an arbiter to have engaged in misconduct.
Cr Les Rowe was the subject of a complaint lodged by the Mayor Brett Cunningham, after comments from Cr Rowe were published in a local newspaper criticising the standard of road grading in the shire.
It was alleged that Cr Rowe’s comments were incorrect and misleading, and in breach of the council’s media policy as well as required standards of councillor conduct.
The arbiter found that Cr Rowe had engaged in misconduct, but had not breached the media policy.
He was ordered to make a written apology and was suspended from the office of councillor for one month, commencing today 26th July.
Cr Rowe has also been granted a leave of absence, effective from the 26th August through the 3rd October.
The council tabled the arbiter’s report with Cr Rowe’s written apology at last night’s Council meeting and it is included in the minutes of the meeting here.