GAWLER Council has found a new law firm to carry out an investigation into bullying allegations against CEO Henry Inat, after the last investigator was removed due to a perceived conflict of interest.

Elected members met behind closed doors earlier this month to discuss the investigation, with councillors voting for Adelaide-based law firm Piper Alderman Lawyers as the independent investigator.

The formal investigation was scheduled to begin immediately and is set to take four-to-six weeks.

Details of the confidential discussion are unknown, but official meeting minutes show Mayor Karen Redman “called a point of order objecting to the wording being used by Cr (Ian) Tooley”.

This was then challenged, with elected members split 4-4 and Ms Redman using her casting vote to rule her point of order was valid.

Gawler Council environment and regulatory services manager Ryan Vinery told The Bunyip council had gone through a tender process, which required “further information” from legal firms, was used to pick the new investigator.

The cost to ratepayers for the investigation is unknown, but will depend on “the nature of any formal complaints, if any”.

Elected members voted in July to investigate bullying allegations against Mr Inat arising from an Australian Services Union (ASU) survey of council staff.

The survey, prompted by prolonged enterprise agreement negotiations, alleged the process was causing feelings of “worthlessness”, “intimidation” and “frustration” among employees.

In August, the probe stalled after the council’s first choice to undertake it, lawyer Belinda Richards from InSyncHR, was found to have a connection to Mr Inat’s wife through a previous workplace.

The ASU brought the conflict to council’s attention, with elected members removing Ms Richards just days after her appointment.

Ms Richards was also allegedly recommended for the job by the lawyer representing Mr Inat during the enterprise negotiations.