Albury councillor tells how frustration at alleged bullying of deputy mayor prompted legal consideration

Murray King has revealed he raised the prospect of applying for an apprehended violence order against Henk van de Ven in 2018.

In an email to mayor Kevin Mack and council chief executive Frank Zaknich he wrote he had a plan to contact Albury's police boss "with a view (to) taking out an apprehended violence order against van de Ven on behalf of others due to the propensity of his erratic behaviour escalating".

That point was made after Cr van de Ven wrote a letter to The Border Mail in which he accused fellow councillors and particularly Cr Cohn of having double standards in relation to absences.

Cr King said on Tuesday that episode followed previous attacks on Cr Cohn and he believed drastic action was needed, although he did not follow through after being told the matter would be addressed.

He said he was raising the AVO plot now because he believed voters deserved to know what unfolded.

Cr King alleged council staff were intimidated by Cr van de Ven and "it's a tipping point, the true Henk van de Ven needs to be out in the open".

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Cr Cohn said she was thankful for the concern of Cr King but declined to comment on Cr van de Ven's behaviour given council code of conduct rules.

She said of council generally that "it's important for the public to know it's not a safe workplace".

Cr Cohn wants the conduct system altered to end the gagging of pursuers as "the public deserve to know about the behaviour of their elected representatives".

She also believes there needs to be "real consequences like a suspension".

Cr van de Ven declined to speak to The Border Mail.

The council spent $33,000 on code of conduct complaints in the past year.

Australian Local Government Women's Association president Marianne Saliba says the code of conduct system needs overhauling because it is a "toothless tiger".

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