During Tuesday night’s council meeting, the first for the year, mayor Glenda McLean had to use her casting vote to accept a report on a strategy to implement recommendations from a commission of inquiry.

Cr McLean warned councillors of considerable implications for the council if the motion failed to carry.

In September, a majority of councillors initially blocked a motion to begin a code of conduct complaint process against Cr McLean, who was at that time deputy mayor.

The September meeting was the first attended by the state government’s Municipal Monitor Janet Dore.

Ms Dore advised acting chair Cr Gwenda Allgood at the time that approving the motion would be consistent with working towards implementing the state government commission of inquiry's recommendations.

“I think you would be viewed as not governing in the best interests if you go against your own resolution to implement the recommendations,” Cr Dore said at the time.

During Tuesday’s meeting, issues around the councillor code of conduct again threatened to derail Ararat Rural City implementing the inquiry’s recommendations in full.

The motion was to receive the ‘Council Work Plan/Action Plan’.

Cr Jo Armstrong queried the cancellation of a Community Engagement Advisory Committee meeting by Cr McLean, saying that she had “serious misgivings” around the implementation of recommendations. 

Cr Armstrong said the response to issues around the code of conduct "lacks transparency and is as far removed from good governance as this council could hope for”.

Cr McLean said the cancellation was her call and a notice appear to have gotten lost in a computer system transition.

“I take your point about being able to communicate effectively as a council,” she said.

Cr McLean used her casting vote to pass a motion to receive the report along with Crs Darren Ford, David Pettman and Gwenda Allgood.

Councillors last year dropped a proposal to abolish differential rates and a give commercial property discounts, a plan that had triggered the inquiry.