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The Gore District Council has cancelled its planned review, saying communication has improved around the council table and it is looking ahead not back.
The council was in the spotlight in the first half of the year after it emerged newly elected Mayor Ben Bell and council chief executive Steve Parry had fallen out and were not talking.
Seven councillors then called for the resignation of Mr Bell — which was never actually tabled — saying they no longer had confidence in him.
At the time the council looked to undertake a review which it hoped would reset, rebuild and redeem the reputation of the council.
But a council report to be tabled at today’s council meeting has recommended the review be abandoned.
The review has not started as the council left it sitting on the table while its new legal counsel considered it.
In a letter to the Department of Internal Affairs in today’s council agenda, the council said it would not be continuing with the review.
It has also been low key in its dealings over the past few months.
"The council has deliberately adopted a low public profile in recent months in a conscious effort to reduce the invasive attention of the media and enable us to focus on moving forward, particularly in relation to business-as-usual activities," the letter said.
The council had appointed an intermediary, Cr Richard McPhail, to act between Mr Bell and Mr Parry and it had been a success. Communication was improving.
Mr Parry resigned as chief executive last week.
Five workshops have taken place to upskill elected members and another is planned on the council code of conduct.
The council believed that there was no longer any need to undertake the review.
"We have genuine concerns that any further re-examination of the past may reignite the very events and experiences that we seek to move on from.
"Despite previous recommendations, given the steps we have taken together to further develop, reflect and reset, we no longer feel the review process is in the best interest of the Gore District Council, nor local government as a whole."
The council realised the job was not complete but it would continue to work hard. Actions spoke louder the words and that was the key in regaining public confidence.
The council would save $130,000 if the review did not go ahead.
— Staff reporter