A SECOND Frankston councillor is being investigated by a local government watchdog as the result of an alleged stoush at a public event at Frankston’s The Deck bar late last year.
Cr Colin Hampton awaits a decision about misconduct complaints after a panel, facilitated by the Municipal Association of Victoria, heard evidence on Friday 8 April about alleged derogatory remarks he made about fellow councillor Darrel Taylor (‘Silence surrounds conduct hearing’, The Times 25/4/15).
Cr Taylor appeared as a witness at the panel hearing but The Times can now reveal he is also under investigation after Cr Hampton complained about his behaviour on the night.
The Times understands Cr Hampton, the deputy mayor, was upset Cr Taylor gave a speech after mayor Cr James Dooley at the marketing campaign launch to sell apartments at the planned $80 million Allure Bayside building in Davey St.
Frankston Council has refused to answer any questions about the councillor conduct panel hearing held last month despite ratepayers potentially facing a bill costing tens of thousands of dollars for the hearing.
A MAV representative said independent panel decisions on councillor conduct hearings are released to councils which then choose whether to make a panel’s report and decisions public.
“Whether or not they make that public is up to them. Often councils will table it at a council meeting but they may not make it public,” the representative said last month.
Frankston Council has refused to say if the reports and decisions on Cr Hampton and Cr Taylor will be made public.
There is no indication as yet of when rulings will be given to council.
Cr Hampton and Cr Taylor say they are unable to comment on the panel hearings due to Local Government Act restrictions.
The Frankston councillor conduct panel hearing will be one of the final investigations facilitated by the MAV.
The state government has handed responsibility for future investigations into councillors’ behaviour to Local Government Victoria for any complaints received after March this year.
First published in the Frankston Times – 9 May 2016
This article was amended on 10 May 2016 to clarify that the MAV does not itself make a decision on the outcome of councillor conduct panel hearings and does not receive panel reports or notification of the independent panel members’ decision. That information is passed to the relevant council, the parties to the hearing and the Victorian Local Government Minister.
