The Mayor, Cr Don Henderson, and Councillors have issued a statement of “regret” for actions taken in the past in relation to the Hepburn Hub at The Rex project.
A leaked draft report by the Local Government Inspectorate, which had repeatedly refused to release its report into the fiasco, was critical of Council’s mismanagement of the project and was scathing of the role of former CEO, Aaron van Egmond, in the acquisition and botched renovation. The leaked report was incomplete and did not include an intended “Appendix 2: Response from Hepburn Shire Council”
The statement included an apology for the harm caused to the community but not for the mismanagement or the decisions that were taken.
Council reinforced that they had taken steps to prevent future mismanagement and to improve governance and transparency. Council also admitted that it would take time and effort to restore confidence in Council.
Statement by the Mayor, Councillors and Chief Executive Officer
On behalf of the Council the current elected Councillor group would like to express our regret to our community of Hepburn Shire for the negative impact that the Hepburn Hub at The Rex project has had on us all.
We recognise that some actions during the project have led to feelings of mistrust, and we regret the distress this caused. We acknowledge that certain actions taken in the past did not align with the values of our Council and needs of our community.
The Hepburn Hub at The Rex project did not deliver the outcomes promised, and we are sorry for the harm this caused. We acknowledge the impact of past decisions, including the on-going impact this has had on the organisation and community.
Council has taken active steps to address past shortcomings and has implemented numerous measures that prevent poor project management and improved our governance and transparency.
We recognise that restoring the trust that has been damaged with our community will take time, but we are dedicated to listening to the concerns of our community and working to create positive partnerships.
Related Stories:
Council Responds to Critical Leaked Draft Report
The Community Deserves Answers About The Rex Fiasco
