In short:
Documents obtained by Wyndham TV reveal Mayor Preet Singh has sought access to more than 50 pieces of council correspondence that may be used in a Code of Conduct application. The request comes as the embattled Mayor faced a fifth protest.
Wyndham Advertiser
Exclusive: Singh Seeks Internal Exchanges
As he faces continued calls to resign, documents exclusively obtained by Wyndham TV reveal Mayor Preet Singh has sought access to more than 50 pieces of council correspondence that may be used in a Code of Conduct application.
The request relates to emails and communications exchanged in the days after it was revealed on 30 March that Cr Singh had provided a character reference for convicted sex offender Kashyap Patel before being elected to Wyndham City Council.
Council records state the Mayor advised the correspondence may be used as part of a Code of Conduct application.
The documents show Cr Singh is seeking access to communications involving councillors, council officers and senior management relating to the coordinated response that followed the revelation, including discussions surrounding a joint public statement and a letter sent to the Victorian Government calling on him to step aside.
Preet Singh Wants Crisis Correspondences
The correspondence spans dozens of communications and provides a detailed insight into how councillors and council staff responded as pressure mounted on the Mayor.
Patel pleaded guilty to grooming a child under 16, transmitting indecent communication to a person under 16 and sexually assaulting a child under 16. He was sentenced in September 2024 to nine months’ imprisonment and a two-year community corrections order.
The revelation sparked widespread outrage across Wyndham and prompted calls from residents, community groups and political figures for Cr Singh to resign.
The 50 Requests Unabridged
Saga Shows No Sign of Ending
Today, Cr Singh faced a fifth protest calling for his resignation. All Wyndham councillors have publicly called on him to step aside from the mayoralty, while community backlash and safety concerns have increasingly affected council events and public appearances involving the Mayor.
Cr Singh has repeatedly stated he will not resign and maintains he has done nothing unlawful.
Meanwhile, his status as a Justice of the Peace remains under investigation by the Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety.
It remains unclear whether any Code of Conduct application has been lodged. However, the newly obtained documents suggest the dispute that has consumed Wyndham City Hall for more than two months is far from over.
