A Gore District Council committee is taking steps to lessen the chances of a lack of trust developing again between the community and elected members.
This was one of the risks considered at the audit and risk committee meeting last night after community lifestyle services general manager Rex Capil tabled a report.
In the report Mr Capil said after the local government elections in October 2022 the council had generated significant negative publicity locally, regionally and nationally.
The breakdown in the relationship between Mayor Ben Bell and chief executive Steve Parry, and other events had been well-publicised, Mr Capil said.
"This report starts to look at a risk management approach to consider this matter."
In the report Mr Capil identified 13 potential risks the council faced, which included financial risks, loss of reputation, breach of privacy, lack of public confidence and leaking of information.
Mr Capil did not specify how the risks would be mitigated and left that for the committee to decide.
In the discussion of the report, independent committee member Michael Chamberlain said it was a good discussion starter.
In terms of the present situation, processes had been put in place to address the issues, but it was the future the committee could impact, he said.
"I’m more interested in what we do from a risk point of view to mitigate these sorts of things happening and the consequences to the council if they happen."
Training people and reminding them of the behavioural values the public expected of them was as important, he said.
Committee chairman Stewart McDonell said it was not always easy remembering a topic had been discussed in-committee when talking with others.
"We can all get caught, but this breach we’ve had at present is a deliberate full leak."
Cr Bronwyn Reid said councillors were about to undergo training which was a "move in the right direction".
She was also concerned about the reputation of the council as a good place to work, Cr Reid said.
It was always a struggle for the council to attract good staff.
"We’re obviously a council with problems, so who wants to come and work here, so I think we need to look at that."
Mr Bell said it would be good to inform the public about the training sessions the councillors would undertake.
The committee moved to accept the report and recommend appropriate and responsible risk-mitigation approaches to be actioned by the council and the committee receive update reports on the matter.
The recommendations would be considered at the next full council meeting.