When Councillors Go Rogue: The Quiet Crisis Undermining Local Government

Every municipality has “that Councillor.” And if you haven’t yet, there is always the next election! You know which one I mean. They are the ones who cannot resist micromanaging staff. They are the ones who treat the CAO like their personal assistant. They are the ones who promise the residents something they cannot deliver, then stir up drama on the socials, or freelance their own agenda as if they were a one-person show. They boss the public works staff around, follow the grader operator around, demand private information, and only want to provide services to their own division. They yell, they get involved in the daily operations, and on it goes.

This isn’t just a colourful personality.

This is a governance failure.

When Councils refuse—or are too afraid—to rein in one of their own, the damage spreads fast: staff morale collapses, operations grind to a halt, and the public loses trust in the entire institution.

This is rogue governance, and it’s one of the most detrimental things to a community’s ability to sustain itself.

A Councillor “goes rogue” when they act in a way that does not support collective decision making and start acting like a lone operator. Councillors acting outside their authority:

1.        Direct staff or demand preferential treatment for their friends or their division.

2.        Ask for, or demand, confidential information.

3.        Undermine council decisions after the vote.

4.        Make public statements as if they speak for the council.

5.        Promise residents outcomes that do not exist.

6.        Meddle in HR, procurement or operations.

7.        Use their position to intimidate staff or sway processes.

Doing these things breaches their role, their authority, and often the legislation.

This is dangerous, and here are the reasons why.

1.        Rogue Councillors put staff in an impossible position.

Staff cannot legally take direction from individual councillors. Rogue councillors pressure them anyway, sometimes subtly, sometimes aggressively. This creates fear, confusion and a toxic workplace.

2.      It undermines the CAO.

A rogue Councillor chips away at the CAO’s authority, often intentionally, because the CAO gets the blame when the Councillor does not get his or her way. I see it happen when Councillors behave terribly towards the CAO in public, creating a situation where the community doesn’t trust them. Once that happens, it threatens the administrative structure.

3.        It Misleads the Public

Residents assume Councillors speak with authority. When a rogue Councillor spreads misinformation or makes promises, the public blames the staff when those promises are not kept.

4.             It Wrecks the Council

Council only has authority when it acts as a whole council. This is not a guideline; there are no exceptions within the legislation. When a councillor goes rogue, in other words, refuses to stay in their legislated lane, they create a liability for their community due to privacy breaches, HR complaints, procurement interference, and wrongful dismissal lawsuits. This kind of behavior is not harmless.

Yet when it happens, particularly in a small population, many Councils do not address the issue. They don’t want conflict, and they, for the most part, hope the behavior will settle down.

The smaller the population, the harder it is to enforce the rules. The Council is made up of people who all know each other. Some of them are related. And social media, once it gets out to the public, is relentless. But a council that won’t enforce its own rules is a council that becomes functionally useless.

When a Councillor goes rogue, the rest of the Council has to know that the  behaviour does not improve if the Council does not act. It is important to:

1.        Re-establish the rules—formally and publicly. Council must reaffirm:

·            The CAO’s authority

·            The boundary between governance and authority

·            The requirement to act as a collective body

·            The code of conduct.

2.      Document Every Incident:

Documentation protects:

·            The staff

·            The CAO

·            The Municipality

·            The integrity of any future investigation.

Keeping it quiet protects the rogue at the municipality's expense.

3.      Use the code of conduct as it is intended—a disciplinary tool. Council is expected to function as an ethical body, and the code of conduct is where you start. Council must:

·            File a formal complaint.

·            Conduct an investigation

·            Apply consequences

Consequences may include:

·            Removal from committees

·            Loss of travel or training privileges

·            Public censure

·            Mandatory training

If the Council refuses to use its own tools, it supports the rogue behavior.

4.      Back the CAO—Publicly and Consistently

Council should not expect a CAO to enforce boundaries alone. Council must:

·            Support the CAO’s authority.

·            Reject attempts to bypass the process.

·            Shut down operational interference immediately.

Being quiet as a Councillor while you let another Councillor abuse staff, the CAO, and otherwise act outside their role is seen as permission.

5.        Bring in External Help If You Need It

If the Council cannot manage this on its own, it should seek help. Sometimes, though, despite the training and being told, some Councillors take on the notion that they don’t need permission and don't have to follow the rules. And it is true; the systems we have in place make it very difficult to unseat someone who has been duly elected. There are good reasons for that—once the population elects you in, you shouldn’t be able to be dumped off the Council without it being difficult. But as a Council, when you refuse to address behaviors that you know are wrong, you force your municipality to pay a very steep price. Staff resign. CAOs leave. Your community doesn’t trust you. Decision-making becomes chaotic. Important things get dumped to the back of the list while all the resources go to the most recent drama. Communities deserve better than to be held hostage by one person’s ego or agenda.

The bottom line is rogue Councillors don’t destroy communities, but Councils that refuse to act do. Councils must understand their duty is to the community, not the comfort of a colleague who flat-out refuses to follow the rules.