Investigation into Council’s own actions

On the 20th June at the Derwent Valley Council meeting the General Manager instigated a Probity Investigation into the tender process for the Sale or Lease of Willow Court. He based this on “perceived” favourable treatment of the New Norfolk Rum Distillery proponent’s application.

He explained that there were four expressions of interest, one received during the allowed time period of the EOI and was assessed against the EOI criteria.
The three others unsolicited expressions of interest were assessed “on their own merits”, according to the General Manager on the audio recording of the last Council Meeting.

Today the same General Manager stood down after the cull of birds on public land owned by Council. An authorised Contractor undertook the poisoning and removal of a number of birds at Tynwald Park New Norfolk.

This raises big concerns and questions about the decision making ability of the General Manager, who runs the day to day operations of the Derwent Valley Council. Secondly we don’t know who was appointed as the “independent” investigator and why such a quick call for an investigation was made?

There has also been a major change to the Development Application from the Distillery proponents who have appealed a decision of the Derwent Valley Council to limit the tastings in the approved “tasting room” to rum produced on site by the proponents, to sales of other alcohol products from other producers.

This would effectively turn the application into an open hotel with distillery attached. This is still before the Planning Appeals Tribunal.