Redland City Council has tightened its rules of operation after claims and counter-claims over an industry forum group set up in 2013 involving developers.
Under a move proposed by division 1 councillor Wendy Boglary, the membership of similar groups will be made public in the future.
The council also will be obliged to disclose summaries of meetings between councillors, officers and members of such groups.
Cr Boglary called for a report into why the Development Industry Reference Group was formed without the knowledge of councillors and why its terms of reference protected the identity of developers involved.
Council officers told last Wednesday's meeting that it was standard government practice not to publish minutes of reference group meetings to allow group members the freedom to be candid.
They also said council community reference groups, such as those for domestic violence, youth forums and island groups, operated under anonymity.
However, Cr Boglary said the industry forum had been a different type of group to a conservation group or an aged-care group.
"Council has to be very careful that we not only operate within guidelines of good governance but also that there's no perception that we are not," she said.
Division 2 councillor Craig Ogilvie said he only found out about the developer reference group by reading the website of lobby group Redlands 2030.
The Redlands 2030 website claimed the Development Industry Reference Group had been mentioned in a council response to a development application for the Shoreline project.
Mayor Karen Willliams and deputy Alan Beard said they were uncomfortable with the request for the industry group's details and said such moves appeared to be an attempt to tarnish the good work of council officers.
But both backed the call for tighter terms of reference for future groups to ensure the public knew who was on each committee and what they discussed with officers.
Cr Williams said the Development Industry Reference Group had not seen or influenced the 2015 draft City Plan. She also said she had not played any role in setting the group's terms of reference.
Cr Williams accused Cr Ogilvie of using the council meeting to push a political perception at the expense of the reputations of council officers.
She said Cr Ogilvie should report any incidents of perceived misconduct.
Council chief executive Bill Lyon warned councillors that they had to support any allegations with evidence or risk being reported to the state Crime and Corruption Commission.
He also denied claims that the industry reference group working with council was "secret" and formed without the knowledge of councillors.
He said the group was established almost three years ago, was approved by councillors and had reported to council on a number of occasions since.
"This fact is supported by public council records.
"Imputations that the reference group was formed without the knowledge of councillors are false, as the records show,'' Mr Lyon said.
"This reference group was included in the operational plan approved by councillors for 2012-13. All councillors were in attendance. There also have been quarterly updates to council.
"Councillors were informed and had opportunities to raise questions or to amend any items should they have had concerns.
"There were also discussions about the group with councillors at workshops and it has been openly communicated in our 'Redlands Open for Business and Investment' document on our website,'' he said.
