AFTER three suspensions and further punishment looming over his head, Steven Hughes has resigned from Frankston Council.
Frankston Council confirmed that Hughes had quit last week. The Victorian Electoral Commission is expected to conduct a countback on 15 January to replace him in the North-West Ward.
Hughes was a first-time councillor elected in 2020. In the three years since, he has served three suspensions and faced multiple misconduct allegations.
Hughes was most recently suspended for three months in September. A councillor conduct panel substantiated a misconduct allegation made against Hughes for social media posts published after a failed councillor conduct panel application he made against former mayor Kris Bolam. Posts he wrote about reimbursement of expenses to councillors were also cited as justification for his suspension.
Hughes served a one month ban in 2021 for Facebook posts comparing Frankston Council’s local laws to North Korea’s. He served another month-long suspension at the start of 2023 for mistreating council staff, and for sending a heated email to Frankston’s mayor (“Embattled councillor suspended for three months” The Times 5/9/23).
A further disciplinary process against Hughes had also begun, The Times understands.
Hughes’ social media use has landed him in trouble throughout his time on council. He announced his resignation on Facebook last week in a post which included bizarre references to North Korea, Jeffrey Epstein, Police Academy, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Jesus Christ.
“I can no longer be part of an organisation that is unashamedly self-serving and cold-heartedly indifferent to the needs of the Frankston community. And so with a heavy heart I have decided to resign my position as councillor,” he wrote on Facebook. “I do not make this decision lightly. I made a promise to represent you and I apologise sincerely that it has ended this way.
“Now, some councillors have suggested that I have a messiah complex. I admit that the good vs evil parallels are eerily similar. And although a checkout chick at NQR did call me ‘the ginger Jesus who taketh away the financial sins of Frankston Council’, I am not he – I studied accounting not carpentry.
“Your financial lion has become a sacrificial lamb on the altar of Frankston Council’s wastefulness and mismanagement. And as my councillor body is laid to rest know they can never touch my councillor spirit. So if you hear a small voice discussing rates, or potholed streets, or why Frankston looks like Baghdad, don’t call your local exorcist. It’s just my councillor spirit living on through you.”
Frankston Council has spent at least $60,000 of ratepayers’ money on disciplinary processes involving Steven Hughes.
Council CEO Phil Cantillon confirmed that the final cost of the conduct matters has “yet to be finalised”.
“As at September 2023, the cost to council of councillor conduct matters involving Steven Hughes was $61,691,” Cantillon said. “The final figure will be reported to council and published on council’s transparency hub in due course.”
Hughes consistently criticised Frankston Council for its rates, and unsuccessfully raised motions to reduce them throughout his tenure.
Frankston mayor Nathan Conroy said at council’s public meeting last week that “we thank [Hughes] for his time and wish him the best going forward”.
In a statement Frankston Council said it “acknowledges Cr Hughes’ time at council and wishes him all the best for his future endeavours.”
“The VEC will commence the process to fill the vacancy through a countback of the formal ballot papers cast at the last general election in October 2020,” council said.
The countback will include all unsuccessful candidates in the North-West Ward in 2020. Former councillors Glenn Aitken and Michael O’Reilly are in the running. The other unsuccesful nominees were Justin Turner, Jocelyn Torres, Alan Middleton, Stan Doric, Gabriel Norris, Banson Wong, and Jeff Shelley.
Steven Hughes’ son Liam Hughes continues to serve on Frankston Council. He has been voted deputy mayor two years running.
The next local government elections will take place in 2024.
