Council backs new general manager

Huon Valley Council has doubled down on the controversial selection of a candidate for its new general manager after a review into the recruitment process found it did not breach the Local Government Act or Code of Conduct.

The search for a new general manager officially began on May 4, with the position advertised on the website of Hobart recruitment agency Red Giant.

But a conflict of interest raised eyebrows in the community when it was revealed the successful candidate, Jason Browne, was in a relationship with Red Giant’s managing director Joanne Inches.

There is no suggestion about Mr Browne’s eligibility for the role.

After a special meeting on Wednesday which lasted more than three hours, the council confirmed Mr Browne would start in the role as planned.

He has been appointed for five years on an annual package of $246,175.

A report into the recruitment process found “the council’s management of the conflict of interest in the general manager recruitment process did not breach the Local Government Act, the Code of Conduct and the Huon Valley Governance Framework.”

“However, the review did find the conduct engaged in by the council in managing the conflict falls below expected standards of managing conflicts, particularly having regard to the need for public confidence in the recruitment process,” a council spokesperson said.

The council has accepted a number of recommendations including improvements to the way it manages conflicts of interests. The findings will not be released publicly until Red Giant has reviewed them.

Mayor Bec Enders said further details would be released.