The Tasmanian Government has been forced to launch a full-scale inquiry into unresolvable conflicts within the Glenorchy City Council.

Attempts to settle a stoush between the Mayor and the general manager have failed, so Local Government Minister Peter Gutwein says he will appoint a Board of Inquiry to determine the council's future.

The move is just one step short of suspending councillors.

“It's readily apparent that significant divisions continue to exist within Glenorchy City Council, including between elected members and senior staff,” he told Parliament.

“My concern as Minister is that such division and poor relationships inevitably impact on governance arrangements that are not conducive to good decision-making.”

Mr Gutwein said he had asked Mayor Kristie Johnston and general manager Peter Brooks to resolve their differences, but “unfortunately an agreement they could both work with was not possible”.

Their issues started soon after Mayor Kristie Johnston was elected, when she was forced to adjourn a council meeting because the GM had not provided aldermen with copies of a ­report they were voting on.

The report related to a restructure of the council, and even after the mayor adjourned it, continued the meeting without her.

Local media reports say another meeting, allegedly org­anised by another alderman, almost all council aldermen invited other than the mayor.

Alderman Johnston was elected by a large margin on a pledge to clean up the council.

Her supporters say she is being held up at every turn by the old guard in the municipal administration.

Alderman Johnston welcomed the official probe.

“It's really important as a fundamental platform for local government to have confidence in the way we run our business and for the community to have absolute faith and to make sure the council is conducting its business correctly,” she said.

Mr Brooks issued a statement saying he was disappointed.

“The terms of reference clearly focus on looking at the roles and functions of the aldermen, including the Mayor and myself as GM and whether the roles and functions are being carried out as required under legislation,” he said.

“That said I can assure all that there will be full cooperation with the Board of Inquiry so that the issues can be investigated and resolved.”

The Board of Inquiry - featuring former Local Government Association of Tasmania presidents and mayors Barry Easther and Lynn Mason - will report in February.