While the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) yesterday blamed an ‘‘oversight’’ for the tardiness, Mr Zanotto said he was furious he had been kept in the dark for so long.

‘‘It’s great news, but to think they [ICAC] knew about this for so long and didn’t tell me is very disappointing,’’ he said yesterday, when told by the Mercury of ICAC’s decision.

‘‘It’s certainly a massive oversight on their part and it’s very unfortunate that it occurred.’’

ICAC said it would write to Mr Zanotto to advise him of the outcome.

‘‘There have been updates undertaken to the website in relation to ... outcomes, which were not done earlier due to an oversight,’’ an ICAC spokeswoman said.

Mr Zanotto was one of 11 people recommended to face possible charges following the sensational 2007-08 investigation into alleged corruption at the council.

But ICAC yesterday told the Mercury it had dropped its case against Mr Zanotto on the back of advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) that there was insufficient evidence to charge Mr Zanotto on a misconduct in public office charge, relating to his 2006 dealings with disgraced Wollongong property developer Frank Vellar.

An ICAC spokeswoman yesterday confirmed the watchdog had received the information on November 22, 2010, but had not updated its website with the change until yesterday - almost 15 months later.

The spokeswoman also revealed the organisation had failed to advise Mr Zanotto of the change at the time, or since.

Mr Zanotto yesterday said he was disappointed in the process.

‘‘It’s had a profound effect on my family during the past couple of years, and to find out there was nothing there after all this time - it’s very frustrating,’’ he said.

Mr Zanotto said he had not once received correspondence from ICAC about the allegations against him or updates on the status of proposed charges.

‘‘I never received anything from ICAC,’’ he said.

The Mercury has also repeatedly requested updates on the status of proposed charges against Mr Zanotto, and was not told of the changes until yesterday. An updated note on ICAC’s website says there are now no outstanding matters against Mr Zanotto.