Kangaroo Island Council deputy chief executive quit post five days after ordered from Christmas party for drunken behaviour

A SENIOR executive of a prominent regional council quit his job less than a week after he was ordered to leave a staff Christmas party for alleged drunken behaviour.

Kangaroo Island Council chief executive Andrew Boardman.

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A SENIOR executive of a prominent regional council quit his job less than a week after he was ordered to leave a staff Christmas party for alleged drunken behaviour.

Kangaroo Island Council deputy chief executive Ted Botham resigned with immediate effect on December 20, five days after a complaint was raised about his behaviour at the council’s festive celebration.

Kangaroo Island Council chief executive Andrew Boardman told the Sunday Mail, via email, that he had asked Mr Botham to leave the December 15 party, held at the Kingscote Football Club, after an attendee raised concerns that Mr Botham was drunk and “needed to go home”.

The Sunday Mail understands Mr Botham was involved in an incident with a fellow employee and left the party without protest.

Mr Boardman said his colleague’s resignation was for “personal reasons”, in particular his decision to return home to his family in NSW after almost five years with the council.

“I accepted his resignation on (the) 20th and advised everyone first thing in the morning on (the) 21st,” he said.

“I am aware he has secured a new role outside of local government in NSW.”

Mr Botham’s resignation and the conduct of the Christmas party was the subject of a series of questions on notice to Mr Boardman lodged by councillor Ken Liu at a January 16 council meeting.

In his responses, contained in council minutes, Mr Boardman said a staff member did not appropriately manage their conduct at the event.

“There is an expectation (at all times) that staff have responsibility for their own conduct and behave in a manner that is socially acceptable,” he wrote, not naming Mr Botham in his response.

He said the council would consider whether a policy or guidelines would be required to manage future events.

He also revealed that there were about 17 children at the party, which included free alcohol that was available to guests on a self-serve basis.

Mr Liu said he was not at the party but received a “number of complaints” about the way the event had been conducted.

He said the event was not licensed and that the proper approach should have been for bar staff to provide drinks.

“Then they can control the quantity of the alcohol consumed by guests and staff,” Mr Liu said.

Mr Botham also received a six weeks’ salary payout of $18,701.61.

The Sunday Mail attempted to contact Mr Botham. This included asking Mr Boardman to pass on a request for comment.