Monitor Bill Jaboor was appointed by the Andrews Government in October 2016 for a period of three months.

This followed the announcement of a separate investigation by the Local Government Inspectorate into issues of propriety at CGSC.

That LGI investigation remains ongoing.

Mr Jaboor’s report says despite several good outcomes achieved for the community in recent times, CGSC retained an ‘outmoded organisational structure’; equality of employment was a concern; staff morale was mixed with some feeling anxious about the investigation; and tension and a lack of trust and respect existed between councillors and senior council officers.

‘Aggressive attitudes’ and media policy were concerning.

“In view of the pressure the Council is currently experiencing in dealing with the ongoing investigation, the lack of adequate and skilled human resources working under an outmoded organisational structure and the tensions between Councillors and staff, I am concerned about the future good governance at Central Goldfields,” Mr Jaboor concluded in his report.

CGSC mayor Geoff Lovett said he felt Mr Jaboor’s report was ‘benign’ and a validation of the direction that the current council was taking.

He said he felt ‘some trepidation’ when he and CGSC CEO Mark Johnston were called to Melbourne for the report's release, but was ‘surprised’ when he read it.

Mr Lovett said in regard to the tension between councillors and officers referred to in the report, he regarded it part of his duty as an elected representative to differ with a decision if he felt it negatively affected his constituents and ratepayers.

He said a series of recommendations made in the report were being looked at seriously by council and some were already a work in progress.