Councillor in hot water on conduct
A BALONNE Shire councillor who failed to disclose a conflict of interest during a council meeting has been found to have engaged in misconduct.
The Councillor Conduct Tribunal found Ian Todd failed to disclose his personal interest as a local irrigator who held two water entitlements within the St George Water Supply Scheme at a meeting that adopted a policy governing the sale of water entitlements.
The CCT heard the Balonne Shire Council paid an annual allocation charge to obtain river water under the scheme, but only used half of its yearly allocation, and could sell the excess entitlements to other water users, providing an income source for the council.
A policy and procedure was developed by Cr Todd and a council employee in 2019 on governing how applications for excess water entitlements were to be handled, with there previously being no formal policy.
It was told Cr Todd held the portfolio of water resource management and urban water and wastewater at the time.
This was adopted by the council at a meeting in late February 2019 where Cr Todd seconded the motion without declaring a personal interest or disclosing a conflict of interest.
Cr Todd denied he had a conflict but the CCT heard as a local irrigator and water entitlement holder he was part of a group of people who were eligible to apply for, and be awarded, excess water from the council under this policy.
It also heard that on a previous occasion Cr Todd had unsuccessfully sought to purchase an excess water entitlement from the council, and had been successful in purchasing the same sort of entitlement in the month before the policy was adopted.
Independent assessor Kathleen Florian said Cr Todd “did not act ethically and knowingly breached the trust placed in him as a councillor”.
Cr Todd was ordered to attend training to address his conduct.