Another Kiama councillor investigated for alleged code of conduct breach

This week's council business paper included a list of current legal matters - which as of March this year have cost the council $4.7 million.

The final item on that list is a code of conduct complaint made against an unnamed councillor, which has been referred to an outside body for investigation with an estimated cost of $5200.

The Mercury understands the complaint was lodged by another councillor.

The process for an alleged breach of the code of conduct is that, at the first step, an effort is made to try and resolve the issue in-house.

If that fails, then a preliminary enquiry into the allegation takes place, followed by a more detailed investigation.

The Mercury understands this complaint is now at the detailed investigation stage.

It is the third investigation of a councillor in the last 12 months. In July last year following an investigation, Cr Mark Croxford was censured by the council for a breach of the code.

"Council, pursuant to section 440G of the Local Government Act, formally censures Cr Croxford for statements made on the meeting held March 21, 2023, which the investigation report substantiated conduct that amounts to engaging in intimidation, noting that such behaviour does not comply with the code of conduct for councillors," CEO Jane Stroud said at the July meeting following a confidential session.

In November last year, Cr Renkema-Lang was also censured over a breach related to a June 21 radio interview on the reclassification of land at Blue Haven Bonaira.

During the interview, she made reference to reports on the subject given to councillors, saying "the information that was provided was either, in some cases, incomplete or ambiguous, or even misleading".

Cr Renkema-Lang has since launched Supreme Court proceedings over the censure.

At Tuesday night's meeting in a confidential session councillors voted to "set aside" that decision made by the council in November "due to the second defendant's final investigation report dated October 31, 2023, being affected by a reasonable apprehension of bias, which therefore makes the council resolution invalid".