Tea Tree Gully Council Mayor Kevin Knight barred from entering staff areas of Modbury Civic Centre
Tea Tree Gully Mayor Kevin Knight has been barred from entering staff areas of Modbury Civic Centre as the council investigates a complaint against him by a staff member.
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A mayor who is the subject of a code of conduct complaint has been banned from entering the administrative section of his council building.
Tea Tree Gully Council Mayor Kevin Knight received an email last Friday asking him to return his master key to the civic centre at Modbury.
The council’s chief executive officer, John Moyle, also told Mr Knight he could not enter the administrative areas of the building.
Mr Moyle also emailed senior council managers telling them they were not to allow Mr Knight to enter the administrative section.
Mr Knight went to the building last Sunday and found his electronic swipe card had been deactivated. He used a key to get into his office, which is next to the council’s chambers.
The temporary restrictions come after a code of conduct complaint was lodged against Mr Knight by a female staff member following an alleged incident earlier this month.
Mr Knight, who is due to preside over the next full meeting of the council on Tuesday night, said he had no intention of stepping down.
“It’s business as usual,” Mr Knight, who has been mayor since 2014, said.
Mr Knight said he had sought legal advice and been told he could remain as presiding member of the council.
“I have no intention of standing down unless my elected members want me to,” he said.
Mr Knight said he was unhappy with how he had learnt about the complaint in an email from Mr Moyle rather than in person or by telephone.
“We need to look at the process of how these things are handled across local government,” he said.
Earlier this week, Mr Knight said the issue had taken a “heavy toll” on him and that he would not be attending the council’s Christmas function for “personal reasons”.
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Council director Ryan McMahon said he was not aware of the circumstances of the allegations.
A request to speak to Mr Moyle was denied.
“Mr Moyle prefers to deal with all communications through our media team,” Mr McMahon said.
A council spokeswoman said it had “nothing further to add”.
“Staff are not allowed to comment about alleged code of conduct complaints,” the spokeswoman said.