Hastings District Council refuses to release details of complaints against its councillors
The Hastings District Council has refused to release details regarding code of conduct complaints against its councillors, citing public interest. Experts argue that this lack of transparency contributes to public disengagement with local government.
Why it matters
It raises significant questions about government accountability and the balance between privacy and the public's right to know.
Hastings District Council has refused to release details of the Code of Conduct complaints laid against its councillors.
A local government expert has chided Hastings District Council for claiming it would be “damaging to the public interest” to reveal details of code of conduct complaints its councillors have faced.
The council has refused to release information to Hawke’s Bay Today about the nature of several complaints against councillors since they took office a year ago.
All councils have their own code of conduct rules.
At Hastings District Council, members of the public, council staff and elected members can make code of conduct complaints to the council’s chief executive.
The chief executive has discretion over whether a request is lodged as a formal code of conduct complaint.
If a complaint is upheld, consequences range from a meeting with the mayor, to an apology, to an invitation to consider resigning.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in