THERE have been five cases of proven bullying at Frankston Council in the past two years.
Information obtained by The Times under freedom of information laws reveal there were 36 matters in two years in which the term “bullying” was used.
An FOI search by council found 54 internal documents from 1 January 2013 until 11 February 2015 contained the word “bullying”.
Council CEO Dennis Hovenden has confirmed five of the complaints were “either fully or partially substantiated”.
Alleged bullying at Frankston Council was thrust into the public spotlight when councillors clashed at January’s public council meeting over “intimidating behaviour” between councillors (‘Councillors ‘feel bullied’’, The Times 26/1/15).
It then emerged that Cr Brian Cunial had been questioned over allegations of bullying towards a council staff member in 2013 (‘Councillor’s silence on WorkCover probe’, The Times 9/2/15).
Cr Cunial did not return several calls from The Times in February but subsequently released a statement stating “I have never been found guilty of bullying anyone”.
In his statement, Cr Cunial revealed “another councillor and I were interviewed by an insurance investigator in relation to a WorkCover claim by a council employee for anxiety and stress”.
The Times has contacted all councillors to ask whether they were the second councillor interviewed as part of the WorkCover investigation involving Cr Cunial but none have come forward.
Council’s freedom of information officer last month denied access to any of the 54 documents referring to “bullying” due to their “confidential nature” and “the rights of individuals referred to in the documents and the protections which exist in the FOI Act for those people”.
“I have made my decision on the basis that it protects both the complainants and respondents in each of these matters,” the officer stated in a letter to The Times.
Council said it is unable to confirm whether the WorkCover probe in 2013 is one of the five substantiated cases of bullying for this reason.
When asked for further details about the 54 documents at council referring to “bullying”, council CEO Dennis Hovenden supplied a letter giving some further information.
“At Frankston City Council, for the period from 1 January 2013 to 11 February 2015, there were only five (5) allegations of bullying which were either fully or partially substantiated,” the CEO stated.
“Appropriate action has been taken to minimise the possibility of bullying and to ensure that employees are aware of their rights if they consider that they may have been bullied by any person.”
Mr Hovenden said council takes its statutory obligations to provide a safe and healthy workplace “very seriously”.
“Allegations and complaints of bullying are dealt with quickly and confidentially.”
Frankston Council has more than 1000 employees working at more than 30 work locations, the CEO said.
Workplace bullying under WorkSafe regulations is defined as “repeated and unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or group of workers that creates a risk to health and safety”.
Frankston Council’s freedom of information officer noted: “In common usage however, the term ’bullying’ is often misused to describe a wide variety of different contexts. Consequently many of the discovered documents relate to matters which would not meet WorkSafe Victoria’s definition. Matters referred to in the discovered documents range from reporting colleagues for failing to greet another in the morning, through to more substantial allegations.”
After January’s council meeting when comments about bullying allegations between councillors were publicly aired, the mayor Cr Sandra Mayer said there had been no official complaints of bullying by councillors.
Cr Mayer later said “councillors have expressed concerns around behaviour”.
“I took their concerns seriously and held discussions with each, subsequently determining that there was no basis for a formal official complaint.”
It is not known if any complaints by councillors about fellow councillors are included the five proven or partially proven cases of bullying in the past two years.
