Dorset mayor Greg Howard, Cr Dale Jessup and Cr Steve Arnold were all found to have breached principle three of the council’s code of conduct, that “a councillor should act with integrity, and propriety and should have no conflict of interest.”

The panel made its determination on February 16 over a motion passed by the council in March 2016 supporting Forestry Tasmania in both its commercial and non-commercial activities within the municipality.

The complaint put forward by ratepayer Peter Coxhead said Cr Howard trained operators to be certified as competent harvesting operators, Cr Jessup managed a sawmill and Cr Arnold owned a chainsaw business.

“The [councillors] each clearly had a ‘public duty to act impartially and in the interest of the whole community’, but, it was claimed by Mr Coxhead, each had a competing private interest,” the panel’s determination report said.

While it was deemed the councillors had no pecuniary interests, the panel determined each had a personal interest.

“The determination is quite different to that of a ‘pecuniary interest’ where a more substantial risk of financial benefits is required,” the panel said.

“Any conflict of interest must be declared not because there is real prospect of secret financial benefit that may corrupt the impartial mind, but because of the absolute necessity for transparency and the alleviation of the perception of self-interest as a driver in the passing of motions that are meant to be decided impartially.”

Cr Howard said he disagreed with the findings of the panel and would meet Cr Jessup and Cr Arnold on Monday to consider an appeal. Cr Howard is also appealing a caution issued to him in October.

Four additional complaints made against each councillor were dismissed.