A spokesperson for the ombudsman said they were aiming to have the report made public before council elections in October but there was no guarantee.

"The impact of remote working during the pandemic has somewhat delayed the investigation but it is continuing, and the ombudsman is very conscious of the need to conclude it as quickly as possible," a spokesperson said.

"While we will make every effort to have a public report available before the council elections, the timing of some aspects of the investigation is beyond the Ombudsman's control."

In December, the Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass launched an investigation into credit card use at the council.

She said the investigation followed media reports that a former council manager resigned last year after misusing a council credit card.

At the time, Ms Glass said the investigation would look at actions taken by the council and the controls it has in place to protect public money.

"To restore community trust, we need to get to the bottom of what has occurred and ensure the appropriate controls are in place to protect public money," Ms Glass said.

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