THE fallout from a councillor conduct panel hearing shows no sign of ending.
Cr Colin Hampton, who was ordered by the panel to formally apologise to two council employees about the way he spoke to them at a public event, has signalled his intention to complain to the Press Council about press coverage of the saga.
The deputy mayor tabled letters of apology at this month’s public council meeting to the two council officers who complained about his behaviour at a function to promote the $80 million Allure Bayside apartment project at The Deck bar in Frankston in November last year and also spoke about circumstances surrounding the panel hearing.
Cr Hampton claimed at this month’s council meeting that Cr Darrel Taylor was involved in the drafting a separate letter of complaint from developer Jacques Khouri about Cr Hampton. Excerpts of the letter were published in another community newspaper, prompting Cr Hampton’s complaint to the Press Council.
The panel members, barrister Peter Harris and Municipal Association of Victoria governance member Matt Evans, noted evidence given by Frankston Council CEO Dennis Hovenden at the April hearing, convened by the Municipal Association of Victoria.
“In a meeting with Mr Hovenden, Jacques Khouri had stated that he advised Cr Taylor to talk with his personal assistant about the events, and that a letter would be drafted in terms proposed by Cr Taylor,” the panel report said.
Frankston mayor Cr James Dooley revealed at last month’s public council meeting that notes he and Mr Hovenden took at a December meeting with Mr Khouri after the November function have been referred to “an appropriate authority”, understood to be the Local Government Inspectorate and Compliance Institute.
Cr Taylor denied any involvement in Jacques Khouri’s letter of complaint at this month’s council meeting.
“There has been substantial evidence presented to this council and circulated by the CEO and sent to the Local Government Inspectorate clearly highlighting I had no involvement in drafting the letter,” Cr Taylor said at the meeting.
Mr Khouri did not return calls from The Times. It is understood he believed the disciplinary matter would be dealt with internally by council and does not wish to fuel any negative publicity that could affect the Allure Bayside project.
Cr Taylor found it “astonishing” that council has failed to condemn Cr Hampton’s “intimidatory and bullying behaviour towards two council [staff] members”.
“No one is going to stand up and say this behaviour is not good enough from a councillor or deputy mayor.”
He said there had been a campaign to “get Taylor” amid false accusations of links between him and the developer.
“I find it absolutely incredible that out of this process there’s been a determination to smear my name and drag me down when I had witnessed what I would call totally inappropriate behaviour and reported it.”
At the latest public council meeting, Cr Hampton said the independent conduct panel hearing cost ratepayers $30,000.
Council CEO Dennis Hovenden told councillors in June that the panel hearing cost $15,000 plus council officers’ time.
Councillors voted to make the report public (‘Conduct panel report released’, The Times 4/7/16) but the version made available on council’s website includes several redactions including Mr Khouri’s name being omitted despite councillors openly speaking about the developer’s letter of complaint at public council meetings.
