Council suspension extended as 'emerging issues' delay investigation

Local Government Minister Nic Street said the sheer volume of work and several "emerging issues" uncovered during the board's investigation into Dorset Council meant the reporting date had to be shifted.

Dorset councillors, who were initially suspended for a period of seven months in July 2023, will remain on suspension until April 30 at the earliest.

The Local Government Minister said pushing the deadline back from its original February 28 date meant a more thorough investigation could be done.

"The Board is currently conducting its investigative process which, due to the large number of submissions received and additional matters raised during appearances before the Board, is now expected to continue until the end of March 2024," Mr Street said.

"It is very important that the Board has the appropriate time to thoroughly investigate and consider all significant issues raised through its investigation before it reports to me with its findings and recommendations."

Mr Street said he had granted the two-month extension at the board's request, and commissioner Andrew Wardlaw would remain in charge of the council until he had made a decision on the report's findings.

Suspended mayor Greg Howard said based on a 2016 board of inquiry investigation into Glenorchy Council, which cost ratepayers more than $880,000, this would lead to a hefty bill for Dorset residents.

He said between the legal fees associated with the investigation and paying Commissioner Andrew Wardlaw to run the council this could be somewhere in the millions.

"A two-month extension will just mean more cost to Dorset ratepayers," Mr Howard said.

The board of inquiry investigation was launched after an investigation by Director of Local Government Mathew Healey.

This looked at potential misconduct, alleged to have occurred at the council between 2017 and 2022.

Mr Howard, who previously branded the investigation as "a joke" said he was sceptical the extended investigation would prove worthwhile.

"I'm not sure they will find anything out that we don't already know or hasn't already been resolved," he said.