Private charges that effectively shut down a regional council have been dropped in court proceedings. Only two councillors remained at Victoria's Hepburn Shire Council, northwest of Melbourne, after businessman David Penman, 57, initiated legal action under rarely used private prosecution laws in July. Advertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement AdvertisementA Hepburn Shire Council spokesperson confirmed the DPP took over all matters, and the charges were dismissed. The charges against the Hepburn Shire councillors were dismissed in Ballarat Magistrates Court. Any individual can initiate a private criminal proceeding without the involvement of police.