No plan to dismiss Busselton Shire Council

Local Government Minister David Smith said today that he did not intend to dismiss the Busselton Shire Council.

This was despite the fact that the past conduct of some former and present Busselton Shire Councillors had done great harm to the reputation of local government and the Busselton Shire.

Mr Smith was commenting on the findings of the Panel of Inquiry into the Busselton Council which has been tabled in Parliament.

The inquiry was requested by the Shire Council following allegations of misconduct precipitated by the dismissal of the Shire Planner.

"The inquiry panel has not recommended the dismissal of the Council," Mr Smith said.

"On balance, I have decided to accept the inquiry panel's recommendations.

"It will be up to the electors of Busselton to take whatever action they deem appropriate."

Mr Smith said he and the Department of Local Government would continue to monitor the affairs of the Council to ensure that all of the panel's recommendations were adhered to.

Serious shortcomings had been found in the Council's meeting procedures and in some councillors' knowledge of the pecuniary interest provisions of the Local Government Act.

The panel had also found evidence suggesting four possible pecuniary interest breaches of the Act.

Further investigations would need to be carried out by the Department of Local Government and Crown Law to decide whether any further action should be taken against individual councillors, past and present.

Meanwhile, the panel had recommended some changes to the Act's pecuniary interest provisions and they would be considered in due course.

"The inquiry panel reported on councillors who appear to have had a conflict of interest when dealing with Council business involving their personal development interests," Mr Smith said.

"Additionally, there were two allegations of possible inducements by people seeking to have councillors change their vote.

"Where potential legal infringements have been detected, follow-up investigations have been undertaken by the Department of Local Government and Crown Law.

"Preliminary advice is that further action, in most cases, is either not possible or excluded by time limits.

"With respect to the remainder and, in keeping with the principles of natural justice, I shall be submitting a copy of the report to the Busselton Shire Council for comment.

"No further action will be taken for four weeks to enable the councillors and officers to respond to the panel's findings and recommendations."