CCC confirms ‘no action’ over Toowoomba council corruption allegation
Queensland’s corruption watchdog will not take any action regarding an allegation of corruption it received regarding an employee of Toowoomba Regional Council.
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The Crime and Corruption Commission has confirmed it will take no action over an allegation of corruption against Toowoomba Regional Council’s head of planning and development services.
The Chronicle obtained a copy of the complaint earlier this year, which concerned Stewart Somers’ decision to approve an extension to a development approval for a set of three units at 61 Sargon Street, Centenary Heights.
The council used effects of the coronavirus pandemic as justification to clear the way for the suburban unit development despite its planning conflicts with the planning scheme.
In granting a two-year extension to a development approval for the project, Mr Somers, who is the council’s head of planning and development services, wrote “the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a housing supply shortage causing mortgage and rental stress for residents of the local government area”.
This week the CCC said it took no action in relation to the complaint it received concerning the approval.
“Following an assessment of the complaint, the CCC determined the allegations do not meet the criteria to be considered corrupt conduct as it is defined in the Crime and Corruption Act 2000,” a CCC spokesman said.
“Therefore, the CCC took no action in relation to this matter.”
The complaint to the CCC claimed the assessing officer, responsible senior planner, principal planner and manager all recommended refusing the application “due to actual and real conflicts with the planning scheme”.
It further claimed the assessing officer was directed by a different staff member “to prepare the report recommending approval and to write Stewart Somers’ name on it and have him review and sign it”.
The development’s conflicts with the planning scheme listed in Mr Somers’ assessment report include its location, design, layout and provision of on-site parking.
It is also inconsistent with other homes in the street, according to the assessment.
The CCC and Toowoomba Regional Council confirmed the complaint had been made back in May.
Council CEO Brian Pidgeon declined to comment.
“Toowoomba Regional Council maintains confidentiality regarding all staff matters, and as such, no further comment will be made on this matter,” Mr Pidgeon said.
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