Councils in the firing line after failing to ‘abide’ by Code of Conduct

Over 100 councillors could be sacked after failing to ratify a new Code of Conduct in time.

All Victorian councils were required to adopt the code by July this year, but 13 councils and a handful of individuals on other councils failed to meet the requirements.

Greater Shepparton council is one in the firing line.

Earlier this year, the council collectively signed an ‘endorsement’ of the code, rather than a declaration to ‘abide’ by it.

Mayor Dinny Adem told Neil Mitchell he’s not really sure what they’ve done wrong.

Cr Adem said the council had apparently erred in signing the declaration together.

‘There was no directive given by the Chief Inspector, or by the Act, that specified it should be done individually,’ he said.

Neil called the misunderstanding ‘bureaucratic stupidity’. 

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