“I think it’s unusual that someone on sick leave is sacked,” Mr Somyurek said, adding that he would leave a ruling on the council decision to Local Government Inspectorate chief municipal inspector David Wolf, "who has an active inquiry going on at the City of Whittlesea.” Mr Overland when he resigned as chief commissioner in 2011. Credit:John Woudstra Mr Wolf said he was concerned about Whittlesea council's capacity to provide leadership and good governance for its community, and had received complaints about the behaviour of some councillors. “Many of the issues raised are [related to] conduct or behavioural ... but there are matters currently under investigation by my office,” Mr Wolf said. “For this reason, I have recommended to the minister the appointment of a monitor … to ensure good governance around processes and statutory decision making.

Loading “A monitor will also provide any advice to the minister should behaviours further deteriorate to the detriment of the community.” Mr Somyurek hasn’t ruled out sacking Whittlesea council but said he would wait for the report from the monitor, who is yet to be announced, before making a decision. The state government had been looking for a monitor in recent days but Mr Somyurek said Mr Overland's sacking had forced him to bring forward the announcement of his decision. Mr Somyurek said neither he nor his office had been briefed by the City of Whittlesea about its decision to oust Mr Overland.

Loading “We believe councils should be transparent and accountable to their communities,” Mr Somyurek said. Mr Overland, the most senior police figure directly involved in the decision to use defence barrister Nicola Gobbo as an informer at the end of Melbourne’s gangland war, has been under siege at the City of Whittlesea. A group of councillors has been calling for him to stand down as chief executive for more than a year. "At a council meeting held on Tuesday, December 10, the City of Whittlesea resolved to terminate the contract of its chief executive officer, Simon Overland, effective immediately," Whittlesea mayor Emilia Lisa Sterjova said in a statement. "Council wishes Mr Overland well for his future endeavours. Acting CEO, Kelvin Spiller, will continue to act in the role."

Councillor Tom Joseph told The Age that the end of Tuesday night's council meeting was closed to the public and an urgent, confidential motion was brought before councillors which saw Mr Overland sacked. "I don't agree with it, I think it's the wrong decision, Cr Joseph said. "Simon was an extraordinary CEO, he did great things for the City of Whittlesea, there is no reason why he should have gone. "We have an extraordinary situation where ... we've had three CEOs in three years, this city is never going to attract new talent, who would want to work in the City of Whittlesea?" "The culture needs to change, some councillors need to pull their heads in and work in the interest of the community instead of consolidating their power." The last Victorian council to be sacked was South Gippsland Shire, in June, after issues of conflict and dysfunction plagued the municipality for 12 months.