Ex-council pair plead not guilty to charges

FORMER Glenorchy City Council aldermen Jenny Jane Branch-Allen and David Bruce Pearce have pleaded not guilty to alleged breaches of conflictof-interest rules.

Ms Branch-Allen, 56, and Mr Pearce, 59, appeared before Magistrate Glenn Hay yesterday morning in the Hobart Magistrates Court charged with three counts each of “declaration of interest by councillor”.

The charges follow a council meeting held on June 6, 2016, when aldermen voted on whether to use ratepayers’ money to cover legal expenses in a Supreme Court case launched by Ms Branch-Allen against a board of inquiry conducted by former mayors Barry Easther and Lynn Mason.

Defence lawyer Jessica Sawyer told the court both Ms Branch-Allen and Mr Pearce would be pleading not guilty to all counts.

The accused pair spoke of their innocence outside court.

“I have pleaded not guilty because I’m not guilty,” Ms Branch-Allen said.

“It’s a matter before the court, so we’ll let justice take its course.”

Mr Pearce said he considered himself “innocent of all charges”.

Glenorchy Mayor Kristie Johnston said the brief hearing was an “important step for the community”.

“Obviously the community have a great deal of interest in this matter,” she said.

When asked about general manager Peter Brooks’ $369,742 payout, Ald Johnston said council shared the concerns of the community.

“Indeed it’s unfortunate the community has had to bear the burden of the costs of the wrongdoings of the previous administration,” she said.

In May, a damning Integrity Commission report made findings against Mr Brooks, the former director of corporate governance Seva Iskandarli and former mayor Stuart Slade over attempts to improperly gain financial benefits of up to $1 million.

No charges have ever been laid against the trio.

Ms Branch-Allen and Mr Pearce had their bail continued and will front court again on November 23.