WHITTLESEA: Mayor McLindon banned by CEO Lloyd
Whittlesea Mayor Cr Aidan McLindon has been banned by City CEO Craig Lloyd (pictured) from personally attending Council meetings. Mr Lloyd has also prohibited Cr McLindon from contacting all other Councillors, except by email in a restricted way.
Cr McLindon's Mayoral Assistant has been instructed by the Council office that their services are not currently required. Cr McLindon has lost use of a Council vehicle.
Mr Lloyd, a former London policeman, is reported to have said that he is in "genuine fear" on being in the company of Cr McLindon, a primary school teacjer.
Mr Lloyd has so far declned to inform the public that he is preventing Cr McLindon in fully carrying out his duties. Council representatives had told other media outlets that the matter is "confidential".
The Local Paper has put a number of questions to Mr Lloyd, asking for his response by 4pm Friday (Mar. 14). Copies of the questions have benn sent to Local Government Minister Nick Staikos, Municipal Monitors Peita Duncan and Jude Munro, and Whittlesea Councillors.
Mr Lloyd, and the Whittlesea Council Administrators, have consistently refused to answer questions from this newspaper since 2021-22, when The Local Paper reported on local governance shortcomings at the Council. The Council withdrew all paid advertising from The Local Paper since that time.
As this is a matter of extreme public interest, The Local Paper has determined to immediately publish the questions put to Mr Lloyd. We will promptly publish any respones received from him. News of the bans against Cr McLindon have been published on the front-page of The Age, and at the Herald Sun website. Television coverage is expected on the Channel 7 news bulletin on Thursday night (Mar. 13).
Thursday, March 13, 2025
Dear Mr Lloyd
The Local Paper, major media outlet in print and online in the City of Whittlesea, writes to offer you the opportunity to answer the following questions for reports potentially scheduled for publication in our March 19 issue, which goes to press this weekend. Our newspapers are committed to public interest journalism.
We request that written answers only be submitted by our editorial deadline of 4pm Friday, March 14, to editor@LocalPaper.com.au
Mr Lloyd. Council Watch Victoria Inc. has called for your resignation. Will you resign? What is your response to the call?
Mr Lloyd, the Local Government Act expressly requires that Council CEOs support Mayors, yet you appear to have taken a number of steps, in secret, to prevent the elected Mayor in carrying out his sworn responsibilities. How do you account for this apparent disregard to your own responsibilites to the Mayor under the Act?
Mr Lloyd, Council Watch Victoria claims that you have banned the Mayor from personal attendance on the Council premises. Council Watch Victoria further claims that you have banned the Mayor from certain contact with other Councillors. Is this true? How is this consistent with your responsibility to support the Mayor? Do you believe that your ban is consistent with basic human rights of Cr McLindon? How does your ban allow him freedom of association?
Mr Lloyd, it appears that you have already come to a determination regarding the Mayor's behaviour whilst those matters are still before an independent third party for adjudication. How are your actions consistent with natural justice, and a presumption of innocence?
Mr Lloyd. it is said that you have made a number of prohibitions against the Mayor, but that you have insisted that these be kept secret from the public. In overseas countries, when such behaviour takes place it is usually called a coup d'etat or putsch. Do you believe that you have overstepped the mark? On what authority have you told one person that they may contact others, in certain ways. Mr Lloyd, when all is said and done, you are a public servant, and no doubt regard yourself as a very important one, but do you think you have lost touch with your major role to serve and inform the public? Your secrecy about a major disruption to civic democracy would indicate the reverse of such, don't you think?
Mr Lloyd, have you been in any contact whatsoever with former Whittlesea CEO, Mr Simon Overland, since he was removed from the Council in December 2019?
Mr Lloyd, what do you say to the allegation of Council Watch Victoria that you are behaving in a political manner?
Mr Lloyd, what do you say to the allegations that under your leadership, Whittlesea Council has had the worst community satisfaction results? What do you say to the claim that staff turnover rates are at their highest under your leadership?
Mr Lloyd, what is your response to the suggestion that you should be removed from office? What do you say to the proposition that you have unwisely gambled your own local government career by playing politics?
Mr Lloyd. what do you say to the suggestion that your removal from the position of CEO is imminent? Do you regret keeping the Whittlesea public in the dark about preventing Cr McLindon doing his job as a Mayor and Councillor?
Mr Lloyd. it is said that you have accused Cr McLindon of having been aggressive and intimidating. Can you see that by your actions, you might be accused of exactly the same traits? Do you acknowledge that some people might claim to be in genuine fear of being in your company? How do you believe your own health and wellbeing has been affected? Are you intending to make a financial claim of damages against the City of Whittlesea (the citizens), in addition to your $400,000 annual package?
Mr Lloyd, rather than deliberately keeping these matters secret from Whittlesea ratepayers. will you come clean with all the matters that you have to date kept confidential?