WHITTLESEA council is facing a second secret government inquiry after the first found there were insufficient grounds to launch legal action over allegations involving last year’s budget.
The results of the first inquiry were only revealed last week, when a councillor took the unusual action of giving the findings to NW at last week’s meeting.
The first complaint was made to the local government watchdog after the council took several weeks to pass its 2011-12 budget.
Three councillors walked out of budget meetings between June 28 and July 12, 2011, delaying the budget approval.
The watchdog has not revealed who made the complaint nor its basis.
Despite repeated requests from NW for the results of the investigation, the Local Government Investigations and Compliance Inspectorate refused to confirm it had made a decision.
Cr Norm Kelly released the inspectorate’s report, dated June 5, which found “insufficient evidence” to substantiate a complaint that the 2011-12 budget process had been “corrupt or interfered with due to a misuse of a councillor’s position”.
Cr Kelly released it after he failed to get a notice of motion asking the council to publicise the result heard.
He had also asked the councillors who had walked out of the 2011-12 budget meetings to apologise publicly for delaying the approval.
Council chief executive David Turnbull transferred the matter to a confidential council sitting.
Several sources have said there was a second investigation, but would not reveal details, and the inspectorate confirmed a second investigation was ongoing.
Cr Kelly called on the three councillors who walked out of the 2011-2012 budget meetings, John Fry, Frank Merlino and Sam Alessi, to apologise.
Cr Fry said the call for an apology was petty and unnecessary.
“The budget was passed within the statutory period. Not early, not late, but within the timeframe set by the government,” he said.
“I have done the right thing by standing up for due processes and my actions have been vindicated by the outcomes of the investigation into the other councillor.
“If anyone should be apologising to the community it is the councillor who was investigated by the Local Government Inspectorate.”
Cr Fry did not name the councillor investigated.
Cr Merlino and Cr Alessi declined to comment.
After Cr Kelly, who claimed he had been gagged by Mr Turnbull, released the inspectorate’s result, Mr Turnbull authorised a media release also detailing the findings of the first inquiry.
