The council watchdog has cast fresh doubts on embattled council boss Alan Eldridge about alleged conflicts of interest. 

It comes one week after Mr Eldridge temporarily stood down pending an investigation to determine whether he knowingly kept quiet about his son’s financial stake in a planning application.

Mr Eldridge has maintained he was not aware his son was a director of Inglewood Estate Pty Ltd, a property company that lodged an application to rezone 228 hectares at Gumly Gumly from farmland to residential.

However, official council records show Mr Eldridge signed off on every planning and development matter that went before councillors at monthly strategy meeting between February and April – except the one his son was involved in.

Mr Eldridge authorised 20 out of 21 recommendations of planning staff as acting head of the planning between February and April, yet the rezoning application tied to his son was approved by council’s strategic planning manager Liz Rankin instead.

Wagga ratepayers’ group founder Wes Fang said the anomaly cast doubt on Mr Eldridge’s defence of ignorance to allegations he breached the pecuniary interest provisions of the Local Government Act. 

“This appears to contradict the statement given to (the DA) by Mr Eldridge as well as numerous statements to other media outlets,” Mr Fang said.

“This is a further indication of the need for council to immediately request the Office of Local Government step in to examine this.”

Council's workplace relations law firm WilliamsonBarwick, which advised Alan Eldridge on a planning probe going back five years into unauthorised seven-figure discounts to developers, recommended the appointment of a former human resources manager from Canterbury City Council to lead the investigation.

The investigation started on Thursday but council would not disclose the terms of reference or who was being interviewed.

WilliamsonBarwick is not the same firm that gave Mr Eldridge advice about conflict of interest allegations. 

A Wagga council spokesperson refused to answer any questions, saying “all representatives of the City of Wagga are unable to comment while the investigation takes place”. 

Mr Eldridge, who is on paid leave for five weeks, will return to work at the end of the month.