THE City of Perth has sacked chief executive Michelle Reynolds after an independent investigation, just days after a formal inquiry into the council’s governance began.

Ms Reynolds’ employment was terminated immediately following a special council meeting on Tuesday night. She had been suspended since May while the investigation was conducted.

Lord mayor Bruce Reynolds said the council had considered the investigation’s findings and Ms Reynolds’ response before making its decision.

“Following careful consideration of the investigation findings, and Ms Reynolds’ responses, Council determined that the substantiated findings were sufficiently serious that her employment as Chief Executive Officer should be terminated,” he said in a public statement.

The lord mayor said details could not be released because the matter remained subject to legal, privacy and confidentiality obligations.

The sacking comes as local government inspector Tony Brown conducts a three-month inquiry into the City, beginning on September 21, after identifying concerns about relationships and governance.

Inquiry

The inquiry is expected to produce a public report early next year and has powers to compel people associated with the City to give evidence.

Ms Reynolds has publicly rejected the basis for her dismissal and said she intends to challenge the decision.

“Many of the allegations relate to historical human resource-level grievances by city employees — in my view, these are trivial,” she said in a statement reported publicly.

“None of these grievances were reported internally, or otherwise raised with me, at the time they were alleged to have occurred.”

She also alleged she had been made a scapegoat for wider problems within the council.

“It was clear to me that certain elected members were intent to make me the scapegoat for broader governance issues.”

The City said interim leadership arrangements would remain in place while it recruits a new CEO.

The dismissal follows a January report which found the City’s workplace was in “crisis” and identified concerns including intimidating conduct, hostile communications and a deteriorating relationship between the CEO and lord mayor.

WA local government minister Hannah Beazley said the inspector would review the process leading to Ms Reynolds’ dismissal as part of his inquiry.

by STEVE GRANT