Aitken apologies again over chocolaterie comments

CITY of Greater Geelong deputy mayor Anthony Aitken has apologised again for comments he made about his fellow councillors during debate about a proposed chocolaterie in Portarlington.

Under the planning application, which was not approved at the council’s December meeting, a chocolaterie, restaurant, 12 farm stay cabins with a children’s farm, orchards and animal stables would have been built at the former Lincoln’s Farm site.

Councillors Elise Wilkinson, Jim Mason and Sarah Hathway voted against the application, and Cr Aitken, who voted in support, suggested some of his fellow councillors had not come into the meeting “with an open mind”.

Cr Aitken apologised for his remarks at April’s council meeting, and following an arbitration process, did so again at the council’s meeting on Tuesday this week.

“At the April 24 Council meeting I gave an apology, which was genuine and sincere, to councillors Mason, Wilkinson and Hathway,” Cr Aitken said.

“Tonight I re-affirm a public apology to councillor Mason, Wilkinson and Hathway, and agree with the Arbiter’s report that I should have been more careful with my words during the planning meeting, and more sensitive to the concerns expressed by Cr Wilkinson and Cr Hathway.

“Because of that, I do apologise.”