Hobsons Bay councillors have been spared the sack despite the Local Government Inspectorate indicating they were due to be disqualified within a fortnight.
Confusion reigned after widespread media reports on Monday claimed councillors would be disqualified for not correctly signing a new code of conduct.
It was reported that more than 100 Victorian councillors would be disqualified from September 1 with administrators appointed for seven weeks to replace 13 councils, including Hobsons Bay.
However, the state government has since intervened and the council’s chief executive, Chris Eddy, said the councillors would not be sacked.
Mr Eddy said there was a minor administrative error in the wording when Hobsons Bay councillors signed a new code at a special meeting on June 7.
“The Local Government Inspectorate advised me [Monday] afternoon that there was an error in the wording of the document signed by councillors, in that it was an ‘endorsement’ of the code, not a ‘declaration to abide by’ the code,” he said.
“Councillors have not been disqualified, and I was advised by the Local Government Inspectorate that a remedy for the issue will be forthcoming this week.”
Mr Eddy said Monday night’s media reports were contrary to the advice he had received from the state government.
“Disappointingly, it has created confusion and anger unnecessarily across our community.”
Premier Daniel Andrews used a press conference on Tuesday to sheet home the blame to councils. “Councils have written to us and said, ‘look we have stuffed this up, can you change the law, can you help us out here’ … and in the interest of ratepayers that’s exactly what the government will do.”
Hobsons Bay councillor Colleen Gates said Mr Andrews’ comments were disappointing, “essentially he’s still blaming councils and suggesting that we cannot govern ourselves”.
The council will be required to review its code of conduct again within four weeks of the October 22 election.
