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Since our report on Mayor Jim Grivas' five-week leave of absence, Manningham Life has learned that Cr Grivas travelled to Greece during his leave and, while there, met with a number of local mayors.
Council previously told Manningham Life that Cr Grivas had requested 38 days' leave from his mayoral duties to attend a family wedding. At the time, Council did not say where the wedding or private travel would take place.
A reader subsequently contacted Manningham Life about reports in Greek-Australian newspaper Neos Kosmos detailing a series of meetings Cr Grivas held with mayors while in Greece.
Neos Kosmos first reported on 21 August that Cr Grivas had met Glyfada Mayor Giorgos Papanikolaou. It reported that the two discussed how their municipalities operate, services to residents and opportunities for future cooperation.
Cr Grivas told the newspaper that the meeting provided an opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss how Glyfada and Manningham could learn from each other. He also expressed hope that the meeting could lead to future opportunities for cooperation and stronger ties.
A further Neos Kosmos report on 3 September detailed meetings with the mayors of Kalamata, Mytilene and Naxos and Small Cyclades.
Council says meetings were private
Manningham Life asked Council whether these meetings were undertaken as official mayoral business, whether Council was involved and whether any public money had been used.
A Manningham Council spokesperson said Cr Grivas had initiated and arranged the meetings independently while undertaking private travel in Greece.
"These meetings were arranged by the mayor independently and were not officially endorsed by the Council," the spokesperson said.
Council officers were aware of the meetings but did not initiate, arrange or facilitate them.
Council also confirmed that it had not funded any travel, accommodation, hospitality or other expenses associated with the trip.
"The travel and meetings were not undertaken as official Council business," the spokesperson said.
"Any discussions that occurred were undertaken privately by the mayor and do not constitute representations on behalf of Manningham Council."
Council said it was not aware of any commitments, agreements, proposals or ongoing formal discussions involving Manningham Council resulting from the meetings.
Where does private activity end and the role of Mayor begin?
Council's response makes clear that it regards the meetings as private, despite Cr Grivas continuing to hold the office and title of Mayor during his leave.
However, Neos Kosmos reported Cr Grivas discussing Manningham with his Greek counterparts, including what the municipalities could learn from one another and possible future cooperation.
This raises a broader governance question: when an elected Mayor meets other government representatives while on private leave and discusses the municipality he leads, where is the distinction between acting privately and representing Council?
Manningham Life wrote to Cr Grivas on 8 September asking whether he attended the meetings in his official capacity as Mayor, who arranged them, whether he travelled to the different locations specifically for the meetings, and what benefits he hoped they might have for Manningham residents.
We also asked how he viewed the meetings in the context of being on leave "from his duties".
Following Council's response, Manningham Life provided Cr Grivas with a further opportunity to comment on Council's statement that the meetings were private and did not constitute representations on behalf of Manningham Council.
No response had been received by the time of publication.
