Kiama Deputy Mayor Melissa Matters has shot down suggestions that a code of conduct investigation into fellow Councillor Imogen Draisma was politically motivated.

Council went into confidential session on Tuesday night to, among other things, discuss and vote on a motion after an investigation into Cr Draisma’s conduct.

The investigation, which was conducted by an external investigator, arose after Cr Draisma disclosed information from confidential construction documents at a Council meeting last May during discussion about rezoning plans for Gerringong Surf Life Saving Club.

After a discussion of more than half an hour on Tuesday, Councillors voted not to proceed with enforcing the code of conduct breach against Cr Draisma.

Council resolved that they would not follow the investigator’s recommendation to censure Cr Draisma because she had “made a full and frank apology to her colleagues, CEO and staff, and gave an undertaking that her future conduct will comply with the code of conduct for councilors and the Local Government Act of NSW”.

When contacted by The Bugle, Cr Draisma said: “I am thankful for the support of my councillor colleagues on this matter.”

There has been speculation that the investigation was politically motivated but Cr Matters angrily denied that was the case and does not want Council to go back to the bad old days of backstabbing each other.

“What happens on the floor of state Parliament has nothing to do with what happens in our Council Chambers and whoever is suggesting otherwise should be more worried about the community rather than stirring up trouble about Council,” she told The Bugle.

“For anyone to say this code of conduct proceeding against her was a politically motivated attack is nonsense. We don’t react to rumours, we rely on facts.

“When I first came into Council, our Orange ticket were strong believers that we were fiercely independent because we didn't believe that politics should play a part in local council.

“I'm not the slightest bit interested about who's in government, whether it’s Labor or Liberal. I'm interested in the community and that they're getting what they’re entitled to receive.

“What I find disappointing is that an issue like this is weaponised politically in Council when this whole investigation was purely about someone who does work in the political arena in state government who is fully aware of the rules and we’ve accepted her apology.”

At the time, Cr Draisma was working for Wollongong MP Paul Scully and has been performing the role of senior electorate officer for Kiama MP Katelin McInerney since her victory in last September’s by-election.

Cr Draisma was subsequently asked how she received the confidential information about the surf club plans but has refused to divulge where it came from.

Goulburn MP Wendy Tuckerman raised concerns in NSW Parliament about the potential conflict of interest but Scully, who is also the Planning Minister, dismissed her query with “I don’t discuss Council matters with Cr Draisma. I also don’t watch Kiama Council proceedings because I have got work to do.”

Cr Draisma also responded to Tuckerman by saying she would “not be intimidated from serving my community by a politically motivated misinformation and disinformation campaign made under parliamentary privilege”.

Kiama Council was contacted and declined to comment on the matter.

Tuesday’s Council meeting also discussed the hot topic of fireworks.

Destination Kiama is aiming to get Council to commit to funding this year’s event after it was cancelled last New Year’s Eve while Cr Erica Warren moved a motion for other locations in the LGA to be considered for events apart from the traditional Black Beach viewing area.

Her motion received solid support from her fellow Councillors and the CEO has been tasked with developing a range of feasible event models which include the alternative option of a “light-based drone show”, ticketing for events and partnerships with local businesses to alleviate costs to the ratepayers.

Mayor Cameron McDonald said: “The scope of this report is not just to concentrate on fireworks around Kiama Harbour, it’s to look at an LGA-wide celebration for what is New Year's.”

Cr Warren said she would like to see a range of events “from breakfast to midnight” at places like Gerringong, Jamberoo and Minnamurra.