At the Council Meeting on the 7th. September two questions were submitted by Ben Blain the Vice President of the Warrnambool Ratepayers Assoc. Below are the questions and responses received from Vikki King, Acting Chief Executive Officer.
It’s time we had a new council that knows the meanings of these words.
Openness: meaning.
- lack of restriction; accessibility.
- lack of secrecy or concealment; frankness.”a democratic society committed to openness and transparency”
Transparency: meaning.
In politics, transparency is used as a means of holding public officials accountable and fighting corruption. When a government’s meetings are open to the press and the public, its budgets may be reviewed by anyone, and its laws and decisions are open to discussion, it is seen as transparent.
Question 1
Can council please explain the reason behind ceasing the employment contract of former CEO Peter Schneider?
Response
The Council, on 13 July 2020, resolved:
To terminate the employment of the Chief Executive Officer, Mr Peter Schneider, effective immediately under the “for no reason” provision in clause 14 of the Chief Executive Officer’s Contract of Employment.
The Council exercised its right, under the contract, to terminate for ‘no reason’. Consequently, no explanation was required to be recorded.
Question 2
Also, when council were looking at ceasing his employment, why did they approve all of his performance indicators up until his dismissal in July?
Response
A report on the results of the CEO’s performance indicators (for the year February 2019 to February 2020) was included in a report to the Council. This was included in the agenda for a closed (to the public) session as it was classified confidential, being personnel matters.
Consequently, no further comments or explanations on the report can or will be made.