City of Newcastle's code of conduct says whoever investigates Jeremy Bath's relationship with Newcastle Herald letter writer Scott Neylon "must make any such enquiries that may be reasonably necessary to establish the facts of the matter".
The Labor-led Newcastle council did not specifically name Mr Bath as the respondent nor refer to a letter-writing campaign when it committed to an investigation on Tuesday night, but it is clear from statements by Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig that the City of Newcastle chief executive is the man in the spotlight.
