PLAYFORD Council has settled its legal dispute with its high-profile former chief executive Mal Hemmerling, eight months after his dismissal over sexual harassment allegations.
Mr Hemmerling and the council released a joint statement last Tuesday announcing the two parties had settled outside of  court to “avoid protracted litigation”.
The terms of the agreement remains secret and neither party wished to comment further on the matter.
The former Adelaide Grand Prix boss and Adelaide City Council chief executive was suspended on full pay in November from his $366,287 per year position, pending an investigation into potential misconduct, before being sacked in December.
Mr Hemmerling and his legal team then launched a judicial review into his suspension and a wrongful dismissal claim into his sacking, seeking $348,995 in damages.
He also flagged taking defamation action against Playford  deputy mayor Marilyn Baker.
Court documents lodged by the council in April detailed sexual harassment allegations from seven different current and former council employees, all of which were denied by Mr Hemmerling.
The council is currently under review by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), with commissioner Bruce Lander confirming in April his office was reviewing the council.
Deputy commissioner Michael Riches will lead the review of the practices, policies and procedures of the council, after a “number of complaints” were made to the Office for Public Integrity.
A budget update earlier this year confirmed the council had taken on a legal services “overspend” of $400,000.
Mr Hemmerling’s deputy, Sam Green, is currently acting CEO, with the council in the early stages of the recruitment process to appoint a new chief executive.