Council has moved to head off a potentially embarrassing issue relating to changes to council minutes after the general manager Leanne Barnes said the matter would be dealt with at the next council meeting in August.
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However it was not before Mike Skitt, an ex-councillor and local representative of Cattle Bay Marina, had sought to raise concerns over the alterations to the minutes. Mr Skitt’s deputation to council was listed in the minutes but late on Tuesday council attempted to gag debate telling Mr Skitt his address would be disallowed.
He was allowed a short presentation but tabled detailed claims regarding the alterations to the minutes.
The minutes in question relate to reports from the code of conduct matter that embroiled council recently and resulted in the investigation of councillors Robyn Bain and Russell Fitzpatrick.
Councillor Robyn Bain was found in breach of the Code of Conduct and subsequently delivered an apology. Councillor Russell Fitzpatrick was also investigated but council agreed not to adopt the independent reviewer's recommendations.
Minutes of the May 17 closed session, where code of conduct matters were discussed, should have included reasons why council did not accept the reviewer’s recommendations on Cr Fitzpatrick, but did not. However they appeared in the draft minutes of June 7 meeting.
“I have watched the live streaming twice yet the amendments were not read out on live streaming but are strangely recorded in the written draft minutes,” Mr Skitt said.
He said they did not comply with the code of meeting practice “as they have been altered by adding further parts to the resolution that was resolved in the May 17 meeting”.
In his written submission Mr Skitt said the amendment indicated that at the May 17 meeting council did not adopt or record any reasons for refusing the reviewer’s report.
“It follows by reasonable assumption that the amendments recorded in the draft minutes June 7 were created and prepared by the executive of council between meetings,” he claimed.
The code of conduct matters and subsequent issues relating to the minutes form a backdrop to action by Cattle Bay Marina directors who are taking council to the Land and Environment Court in an effort to get changes to the DA for the marina and resort.