Weddin Shire Council has today advised it has formally censured Councillor, Michelle Cook, following an independent investigation of a Code of Conduct breach relating to the lodgement of two expense claim forms.
In a statement issued by Mayor, Craig Bembrick, the Council said it has considered a Final Investigation Report of a Code of Conduct Complaint and breaches against Cr Cook.
“The outcome of the report considered, saw Council officially and formally censuring Cr Michelle Cook in relation to the breach of Code of Conduct relating to the lodgement of
two Councillor Expense Claim Forms,” it stated.
The breaches related to two claims, on 13 January and 25 September 2023, in which Cr Cook sought the reimbursement of legal fees, which were found to be in contravention of the Code of Conduct, as determined by an independent investigator.
“The independent investigator found that the Councillor Expense Claim forms were lodged by Councillor Cook, and Councillor Cook made demands for the payment of her legal fees with the threat of taking legal action against Council,” Council said.
It says the actions were taken by Cr Cook despite:
- not having obtained a Council resolution prior to the said legal fees being incurred in accordance with section 8 of Councils Councillor Expenses and Facilities Policy;
- having been previously advised that the process pursuant to Councils Councillor Expenses and Facilities Policy had not been followed; and
- some of the amounts quoted for reimbursement being purported to be for legal costs incurred with respect to a Code of Conduct Complaint yet were incurred apparently for other matters.
“The independent investigator found that Councillor Cook’s actions were overbearing,
threatening, misleading and deceptive in light of her insistent demands and forceful and
misleading approaches to the General Manager and the Mayor regarding recovery of
her legal fees,” the Council said.
The investigator also directed the matter be referred to the Office of Local Government for further action under the misconduct provisions of the Local Government Act 1993.
