Performance Improvement Order issued to Georges River Council

Mayor Kevin Greene is confident all Councillors will comply with the Order.

"I'll be signing the undertaking and I am confident that all councillors that have dedicated the past four years to ensuring that Georges River is one of the best performing merged Councils in NSW and are committed to serving our community will sign the undertaking without hesitation," Cr Greene said.

The PIO requires that:

1. Councillors immediately refrain from:

a. Acting contrary to the requirements of the Code of Conduct by making allegations of wrongdoing, or implying wrongdoing, by any other Council official at Council, committee or other meetings, whether open to the public or not, or in any other forum, whether public or not;

b. moving motions concerning the referral of matters concerning the alleged conduct of Council officials to external agencies except where the matter arises from the reporting of the findings of an investigation undertaken pursuant to Council's adopted Procedures for the

Administration of its Code of Conduct, or is necessary for the proper authorisation and oversight of expenditure.

2. Two councillors under ICAC investigation must immediately refrain from asking any questions concerning an ICAC investigation into their conduct at Council, committee or other meetings, or as otherwise allowed by Council's policies and/or procedures.

3. The two councillors must not be present at any Council forum at any time during which any matter concerning an ICAC investigation into their conduct is being considered.

4. Each councillor enters into the written undertaking attached and forming part of this order within seven days of the date of this order.

5. Council:

a. within three months of the date of this order, complete a further assessment of the adequacy of its systems and protocols for maintaining the confidentiality of information, including, but not limited to a review of the findings of all investigations undertaken or otherwise commissioned by it in relation to the disclosure of confidential Council information;

b. within six months of the date of this order, address any inadequacies in its systems and protocols for maintaining the confidentiality of information.

The Undertaking the Councillors need to sign within seven days asks them to:

1. Refrain from making allegations of wrongdoing, or implying wrongdoing, by any other Council official at Council, committee or other meetings, whether open to the public or not, or in any other forum, whether public or not in a way that is contrary to the requirements of the Code of Conduct;

2. Refrain from moving motions about the referral of matters concerning the alleged conduct of Council officials to external agencies except where the matter arises from the reporting of the findings of an investigation undertaken pursuant to Council's adopted Procedures for the Administration of its Code of Conduct, or is necessary for the proper authorisation and oversight of expenditure.

3. Use the current prescribed processes for making allegations of wrongdoing against any other Council official.

4. Refrain from asking any questions at Council meetings, or otherwise, concerning an ICAC investigation, where they are aware such an investigation is being undertaken.

5. Not be present at any Council forum at any time during which any matter concerning an ICAC investigation into conduct is being considered, where they are aware such an investigation is being undertaken.

The other reporting requirements are staged and need to be reported on within six months of the commencement of the Order.