Geelong council in limbo after report

Geelong's abusive council is in limbo, with a deal yet to be done on sacking councillors after a damning report.

It found paparazzo-turned-mayor Darryn Lyons, some councillors and a collection of staff were bullying and abusive.

"F*** me, I'm the mayor, I don't need to be meeting with someone one week and then meeting with them the next," Mr Lyons told one staff member.

He threatened to close down a local business after yelling at its staff, before later telling investigators he did not remember the incident.

Mr Lyons also asked if outside staff were "f***ing dumb" and threatened the council's chief executive with defamation if bullying allegations were made public.

One council manager took to a chemicals shed with an axe after a pregnant worker asked for some ventilation.

"Ventilation, I'll give you f***ing ventilation," the manager said before attacking the shed walls with an axe.

The report found a councillor threatened to take a staff member to a "dark place that she would not like" if they did not comply with the councillor's wishes.

Another councillor retweeted a tweet describing a local citizen as a "Greek property parasite".

She also used her position to spread false rumours about a former employee's family.

The deal to sack the council has to pass the Victorian parliament but is being held up as the government and opposition parties negotiate over a future election date and new mayoral voting model.

The report recommends a 2020 election, the opposition wants it to be earlier.