Perth Voice Interactive

PERTH deputy lord mayor James Limnios is to be reimbursed $2370 in legal fees he incurred when called as a witness to a corruption and crime commission probe into the sacking of former CEO Gary Stevenson.

After the council unanimously voted to end Mr Stevenson’s contract in January, a media report linking the move to gift and travel breaches by lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi caught the CCC’s eye and it conducted an investigation.

The theory his sacking was some sort of payback for Ms Scaffidi’s discomfort didn’t make much sense, as her detractors on council, including Reece Harley and Jemma Green, also voted to end Mr Stevenson’s contract.

The CCC found “no evidence of serious misconduct by any elected official or current or former officer of the City of Perth in relation to the departure of the former CEO, Gary Stevenson”.

Reimbursement for legal costs is not a given for Perth councillors, who must rely on the approval of their colleagues.

Staff said Cr Limnios’s appearance was “in his capacity as the deputy lord mayor” and recommended he be reimbursed the money he spent on legal counsel with Timpano Legal ($1325.50) and Hotchkin Hanly Lawyers ($1,045). The item sailed through,

A note from staff added a rider: “In the event that any future adverse findings are made in respect to this matter Cr Limnios has signed a statutory declaration that the reimbursed funds would be returned to the City of Perth,” in line with council policy.

by DAVID BELL