CEO seeking legal advice after given immediate termination notice

Three West Australian councillors have resigned after the shire chief executive was sacked without warning.

Mia Maxfield confirmed to the ABC her contract was terminated at a council meeting after six years as Shire of Coorow chief executive officer.

Ms Maxfield said her contract was due to expire next year, but she was told her services were no longer required and immediately had her work laptop taken and building access revoked.

She said she had no warning of the termination and was seeking legal advice.

Ms Maxfield said she was handed a document citing "non-performance" as the reason for her dismissal.

The document has not been seen by the ABC due to confidentiality restrictions.

The meeting minutes and recordings remain unpublished, but it is understood councillors voted 4-2 to terminate her contract.

Newly-appointed shire president Colin Hassell has declined to comment.

Issues raised earlier this year

Earlier this year, the council's former deputy CEO Sam Currulli was charged with nine offences including fraud, corruption, stealing and perjury related to his time working at the shire.

He has not yet entered a plea to those charges and is due in court again in October.

Ms Maxfield referred some of the allegations to police on behalf of the shire. 

Last year Ms Maxfield was nominated in the National Awards for Local Government in the Women in Local Government category by her staff.

She is also on the board of of Local Government Professionals WA.

Loss of confidence

Former shire president Guy Sims, deputy shire president Giulia Censi and councillor Luhan Van Den Heever resigned in the wake of Ms Maxfield's sacking, citing a "loss of confidence" in the remaining council.

"I have grave concerns about what has happened in the process of the termination of the CEO," Mr Sims said.

He stepped down as president days before the meeting for reasons he could not disclose publicly, but said the council was aware of.

Mr Sims had an approved leave of absence on the day of the meeting.

"It's actually the first meeting I've missed in nine years," he said.

"I only found out what happened afterwards.

"I was appalled at what happened.

"There remain four councillors, all of which have less than a year's experience."

The meeting was closed to the public and Ms Maxfield left the room as council considered the CEO annual performance review, in line with confidentiality measures for staff employment discussions.

The details of what happened during the meeting are confidential but the councillors who resigned said "proper processes" were not followed and all three of them were blindsided.

Mr Van Den Heever, who was in his first term as a councillor, said he could not stay on the council following the decision.

"For some councillors to be excluded and then just find out at the trigger point is concerning," he said.

"I did not feel that that is how a council should behave.

"It was not right."

A state government spokesperson said Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley was aware of the situation.

"The Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety have been in contact with and is providing assistance to the Shire," they said.

"The Local Government Inspector also has oversight of the situation and has been contact with the Shire."

Local Government Inspector Tony Brown said complaints made to his office were confidential.

"We closely monitor the affairs of all local governments in Western Australia and can intervene if there is a suspected breach of the Local Government Act 1995," he said.

The four remaining elected officials include President Colin Hassell and councillors Gene Hannington, Dirk Gericke and Durwin Melbin.