Councillors Peter Hulin and Peter Sycopoulis have written to the minister, claiming they witnessed four councillors and the chief executive officer Bruce Anson meeting in the mayor’s office on April 4. 

They claim to have seen Crs Michael Neoh, Rob Askew, Jacinta Ermacora and mayor Kylie Gaston meeting with Mr Anson between a councillor briefing and the start of the April ordinary council meeting. 

In their letter, the pair said they waited until Monday night’s meeting to see if the April 4 gathering was listed in assembly of councillors notes, as required under the Local Government Act. 

An assembly of councillors is defined as a planned or scheduled meeting of at least half of the councillors and one member of council staff, which considers matters that are intended or likely to be the subject of a decision of the council. 

“It was quite obvious this assembly of councillors had been pre-arranged with the four councillors and the chief executive officer having pre-planned discussions,” they wrote in the letter. 

They say because the meeting was not reported, there has been “a serious breach” of the act. 

“The three councillors who were not invited to participate in this assembly of councillors on April 4 are very concerned these type (of meetings) may have been taking place for some time,” they said. 

Cr Gaston confirmed a meeting had taken place, but said it was not an assembly of councillors because Mr Anson was not involved.

She said Mr Anson had called in on his way to the council chamber for the ordinary meeting. 

“The four of us were having a meeting – as I’m sure Crs Hulin, Sycopoulis and Kelson do from time to time,” Cr Gaston said. 

“My door is always open and all councillors are welcome to come and meet with me to discuss any issues or problems they have.”