TheHeraldcan reveal the ICAC investigation came about after the council’s general manager,Matthew Stewart,reported the matter.
In an email to councillors with the subject “Confidential&Privileged RE:Operation Mantis”,Stewart wrote:“For some period of time the[ICAC] has been investigating a matter that I reported to them consistent with my statutory obligations.
“I can advise that these two people of interest are not employed or contracted to the council and this has been the case for some time,” he wrote. “At this time there are no persons of interest employed by council.”
The ICAC is investigating whether Webb and Cossu “partially or dishonestly exercised their official functions” by using or attempting to use a company called PMLV Invest and Const for recruitment subcontractor services without disclosing that the pair had a financial interest in the company,or that they anticipated having one. Conduct between May 2020 and December 2022 is being examined.
‘We notified the commission about our concerns and have been assisting and fully co-operating with their inquiries.’
Canterbury-Bankstown Council spokesperson
The commission is also looking at whether the pair “partially or dishonestly exercised their official functions” to favour a second company,called General Works and Construction Pty Ltd “by attempting to influence the award of council contract/s” to the company,or by using the first company to subcontract General Works and Construction council contracts to benefit themselves or others.
Stewart told councillors it was “vitally important” they did not speak to the media about the investigation.