Ben Bell, mayor of Gore. Photo: Supplied / Facebook
The majority of Gore councillors are calling for an independent review following the relationship breakdown between the mayor and chief Executive and information leaks.
Councillors will vote on a review advising on ways they can restore confidence in the Gore District Council during a meeting next week.
It was recently revealed that a long-standing councillor had resigned causing a by-election, the mayor and chief executive were not talking to each other and another councillor was acting an intermediary between them.
The notice of motion is also in response to confidential information from a publicly excluded, in-committee meeting on 28 March being leaked.
Deputy Mayor Keith Hovell submitted the notion of motion last week, which was endorsed by all but one councillor.
He sought to reassure residents that the council was committed to improving and providing quality governance. That included the council seeking to improve communication between the mayoral office and staff by immediately appointing an intermediary.
"The appointment of an independent reviewer, who will provide recommendations for future actions, is an important next step in giving confidence to the community that improvements will be made, and the distractions caused by recent events will be left behind," Hovell said.
The in-committee meeting related to employment matters, which was why it was held behind closed doors, he said.
"We are not the first council to have information leaked, but that doesn't make it any less disappointing. Trust among councillors and between councillors and staff is critical for any council to function successfully, as is good leadership from elected representatives."
The notice of motion also sought a draft terms of reference for the review to be prepared for consideration at the council's May meeting, and that the council committed to implement the recommendation made in the review.
