The outcome of four complaints lodged against Whittlesea councillor Aidan McLindon is now known, with the Council set to table an arbitration report at its meeting this week.
The arbitration process was suspended for six months, due to the suspension of the former mayor and the conduct of a Commission of Inquiry into the council, which concluded in October.
Arbiter J A Silver dismissed some of allegations made, but found two to be proven and determined that Cr McLindon had engaged in misconduct on those matters.
He has been directed to issue an apology to Council staff for remarks made on Sky News in January this year – remarks that the Arbiter found were “deliberate in misleading the public” and brought discredit on the Council.
Cr McLindon is also required to undertake training and counselling designed to assist him to develop practical diary and time management strategies; and he will be barred from holding the office of mayor or deputy mayor for the next 12 months.
The arbiter said he had considered Cr McLindon’s prior suspension in deciding the sanctions to be imposed, and that nothing said by the Commission of Inquiry caused him to revisit his findings.
Mr Silver also stated in his report that while the alleged misconduct was mostly not proven, what he did find would have supported removing Cr McLindon as mayor had he not already been removed by the Minister for Local Government.
The arbiration report will be tabled at the Council’s Ordinary Meeting of 16th December, after which time the sanctions will take effect.