In BREAKING NEWS from your ABC South East NSW it is reported that Eurobodalla Councillor and former Mayor Lindsay Brown has been removed from the board of the association that represents councils around the state, Local Government NSW. In the report posted to their social media page ABC South East reveals that it has obtained the confidential minutes of a recent meeting of the Local Government NSW board.
They state "The minutes show Councillor Brown was found in breach of the association’s code of conduct."
"The board resolved to seek Councillor Brown’s resignation and to ask him to ‘make appropriate reimbursement’. It has confirmed to ABC South East that Councillor Brown resigned effective 6th April, 2018."
"It’s unclear how the code of conduct was breached or what the reimbursement is for."
The report of the breaking story by ABC South East NSW also states that: In a statement to ABC South East, Councillor Brown said "This is a confidential matter between me and the LGNSW Board, which I will respect. I am dismayed that this confidential matter has been leaked from LGNSW and I trust it will be investigated. I have nothing further to say on the matter at present".
The board of Local Government New South Wales will meet again today, and is expected to fill the casual vacancy by a postal secret ballot of members. On April 14th in a Beagle article entitled Farewelling Councillor Lindsay Brown it was reported that: LGNSW Local Government NSW Board have announced that they have a vacancy on the Board having accepted the resignation of ex Rural/Regional Vice President, Cr Lindsay Brown. While Lindsay was re-elected at this year's Local Government Conference he wasn’t supported for the position of president.Brown is still a councillor for Eurobodalla Shire Council, having previously served as mayor for four years (2012–2016). His resignation will hopefully now give him more time to focus on Eurobodalla Council matters. Of interest is that in September 2017 Local Government Super announced the appointment of Lindsay Brown as a director on its board, representing Local Government NSW, effective 5 September 2017 however we learnt from a media release in May 2018 that Local Government Super (LGS) had appointed Karen McKeown as a Director on its board, replacing Lindsay Brown, effective 10 April 2018. In regards to the ongoing investigation of his alleged false statements in his Statutory Disclosures regarding Political party affiliations: The police investigations continue into the formal allegation made by (name withheld) to the Australian Electoral Commission regarding a possible false statements being made on a Candidate Information Sheet by Lindsay Brown in regards to failing to state he was a member of the Liberal Party. Many consider that Lindsay Brown should have written down that he was a member Liberal Party and that he intentionally omitted to do so. It became a sticking point in the leadup to the last election and every time Mr Brown was in a public meeting his membership of the Liberal Party and his omission to declare it was raised. It was beginning to gain steam and made it to the Bay Post.
Above; You can read more of the issue here: The matter of correctly filling in forms The Beagle sought a statement from Eurobodalla Council to the ABC South East report. Council's spokesperson said that Council has not been advised of the matter by LGNSW. They also advised that "This is a matter between the LGNSW Board and Cr Brown. Council is aware that Cr Brown resigned from his role as LGNSW Board Vice President Rural/Regional Councils on 6 April 2018. "In response to a question from ABC Southeast regarding any instances of reimbursement, Council advised that on 10 occasions during his four-year term as Mayor, Cr Brown reimbursed his Council credit card for private expenses at his own instigation and within an appropriate timeframe. "Council has not been notified of any breach of the Oaths Act."
Above: Eurobodalla Councillor Lindsay Brown. Photo ESC
