A Victorian council is referring one of its councillors to the Local Government Inspectorate over allegations she broke the law.

Horsham Rural City has voted to ask the inspectorate to look into whether Councillor Di Bell broke the law by failing to declare a conflict of interest during a confidential council meeting last month.

The alleged conflict related to the Australian Services Union (ASU). 

Councillor Les Power’s successful motion was for Ms Bell to be investigated for engaging in a misuse of position, which she has denied.

Mayor Robyn Gulline, who voted in support of the motion, says Cr Bell already admitted failing to declare a conflict of interest.

“You wrote on May 11 that you had a conflict of interest but failed to declare it, so the motion is that I ask the inspector to determine whether you have failed to,” Cr Gulline said at a council meeting this week.

Cr Bell says she sought legal advice that informed her actions, telling the meeting that her daughter, who works for the council, was not a union member and had not participated in any “discussions”. 

The full context of Cr Bell or her daughter’s alleged role is not clear, because the allegations relate to a confidential motion.

However, the ASU has accused the council of prioritising damage control over investigating complaints of staff bullying. 

Some councillors say that the call to investigate Cr Bell was a form of bullying too. 

Cr Bell says she did not know about the allegations until they were raised at a public meeting this week.

“The allegations raised had not been discussed with me at all, and I believe the process was disrespect of the highest order,” she said.

“I take my responsibility and requirements under the Act, code of conduct and governance rules very seriously.

“I operate with integrity and to the best of my ability at all times, and I seek further [legal] advice when unsure, as I did in this case at my own cost.”

Cr Bell suggested the allegations against her could have been raised in private.

“Reporting [a] matter that may be a breach does not have to be public, and indeed during my very challenging journey as a councillor, there have been serious matters which I have experienced but chosen not to make public,” she said.

“I chose not to because I believed it would destroy the public's confidence in council, and the [councillors].

“I feel that has occurred based on what I experienced [Monday] night.”