Most of the complaints against Wyndham councillors in the current four-year term have been made by other councillors.
Only three of eight complaints, which involved all 11 councillors, were made by ratepayers, according to information obtained by Star Weekly.
The complaints have been lodged since the 2012 election over possible breaches of the councillor code of conduct. Only three were substantiated.
Cr Glenn Goodfellow has attracted the highest number of complaints since 2012, with three.
Two were substantiated by the Local Government Investigations and Compliance Inspectorate.
Cr Goodfellow was suspended for two council meetings over one of the matters.
Cr Intaj Khan received two complaints and while neither was substantiated, he was given governance training as recommended by the investigator.
Cr Peter Maynard also attracted two complaints. Neither was substantiated but an apology from Cr Maynard was sought, and given, over one of the matters.
Two complaints were also made against Cr Michele Wharrie, with both unsubstantiated.
A bullying complaint by Cr Goodfellow against seven colleagues was also not upheld.
But the bullying complaint led to the council’s chief executive implementing further training for all future councillors as recommended by the independent investigator.
Chief executive Kelly Grigsby would not reveal the cost of each individual investigation, saying the cost varied depending on a range of factors.
“These factors can include the number of parties to be interviewed; the number, nature and length of interviews; and the effort taken for independent external investigators or arbiters to form their view of the circumstances,” Ms Grigsby said.
The record was somewhat better in surrounding municipalities.
Geelong council has received six complaints during the current term, Hobsons Bay one, with no complaints made in Melton.
