Twelve code of conduct complaints were made about Dubbo Regional councillors in the 12 months to September.
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The nature of the complaints is unknown but code of conduct complaints can cover a range of issues from bullying to not meeting the obligations during council meetings.
Of the code of conduct complaints made between October 2017 and September 2018, nine were referred to a conduct reviewer.
They were all then finalised by a conduct reviewer at the preliminary assessment stage. In seven cases it was decided specific training was needed, while in two others it was determined that no action should be taken.
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The total cost involved with dealing with the code of conduct complaints is unknown.
In the previous 12 months there were no code of conduct complaints made about the administrator or general manager.
Between October 2015 and September 2016 there was one complaint. It cost $5900 to investigate.
Last December, council appointed an internal ombudsman to oversee decisions and investigate complaints.
At the time, mayor Ben Shields said he had always thought council should have an internal ombudsman like Sydney councils.
“Our members of the community will be able to sleep better at night knowing there is a watchdog over council making sure all our decisions, all our interactions, all our policies are the right policies,” he said.
The internal ombudsman reviews complaints made from both the public and council staff.
They also review council decisions to ensure they have been carried out fairly and in accordance with council’s procedures.