Whittlesea council mayor Aidan McLindon banned from attending offices by CEO Craig Lloyd after ‘aggressive behaviour’ accusations

A Melbourne mayor has been banned from attending council premises in person — including for the meetings he chairs — after he was accused of intimidating staff and other councillors.

Aidan McLindon was elected mayor for the City of Whittlesea in November. Picture: Supplied.

A Melbourne mayor has been banned from attending council premises in person — including for the meetings he chairs — after he was accused of intimidating staff and other councillors.

Whittlesea mayor Aidan McLindon will be forced to participate in council meetings from home after chief executive Craig Lloyd cited his “aggressive” language and inappropriate conduct towards senior staff as he barred him from the offices.

The mayor denies all the allegations.

In a letter, seen by the Herald Sun, Mr Lloyd said Mr McLindon had made “allegations of corrupt behaviour” against Whittlesea council, his colleagues and the chief executive himself.

Mr McLindon was accused of “intimidating behaviour” during a February council meeting in the form of “unduly aggressive questioning” over the creation of a Rainbow Advisory Committee.

The letter also accused Mr McLindon of releasing confidential council security information in public settings and “placing the safety of your colleagues, officers and the public attending future meetings at risk”.

Craig Lloyd is chief executive of the City of Whittlesea. Picture: Supplied.

Other accusations include Mr McLindon further endangering the safety of colleagues by posting allegations against them on social media, and “recklessly” misquoting the CEO.

Citing the Model Councillor Code of Conduct, Mr Lloyd barred the mayor from attending council premises in person and banned him from contacting anyone from the council — other than himself and the councillor conduct officer — outside of discussions during formal meetings.

“I am now of the view that I have no option but to put in place a range of measures to protect the safety of councillors, officers (including myself) and the community,” Mr Lloyd said.

The Herald Sun has been told the mayor’s council car has also been taken away, and his assistant has been temporarily relieved of their duties.

Mr McLindon was ordered not to share the letter with anyone, including forwarding it to his personal email.

The ban will be reviewed on March 24 — a week after the next council meeting — when it could be removed “depending” on the mayor’s conduct “between now and then”.

Mr McLindon was elected to Whittlesea council in October before running for state parliament in February’s Werribee by-election.

Lawyer for Mr McLindon Nicolas Karamouzsis said the accusations and ban had not been provided “in accordance with the principles of natural justice and procedural fairness”.

A spokeswoman for Whittlesea council said the organisation would not provide comment on confidential matters.

Municipal monitors Jude Munro and Peita Duncan were appointed to Whittlesea City Council in November to guide the newly elected councillors after the previous councillors were dismissed by the state government.

The government cited deeply dysfunctional relationships and personality conflicts for the council dismissal in 2020.