Minister seeks advice on commissioner as Tauranga mayor resigns

Friday, 20 November 2020

Tauranga Mayor Tenby Powell has resigned and publicly called for the Minister of Local Government to appoint a commissioner to replace the dysfunctional council he says is filled with “petty politicians”.

Minister Nanaia Mahuta confirmed she is taking advice on what level of Crown intervention, if any, is required in Tauranga.

Powell tendered his resignation on Friday following an emotionally-charged council meeting resulting in council voting to request a Crown Manager be appointed.

However, Powell says this does not go far enough, and only by appointing commissioner can resolve the issues the city faces.

Mahuta said Tauranga City Council has suffered significant conflict among elected representatives.

“An independent report, commissioned by the Council, has found numerous governance issues. These issues include councillors having a limited understanding of their governance role, and a failure of its elected representatives to recognise that there are problems.”

Crown intervention could range from the appointment of a Crown observer, manager or commissioners to replace the council altogether.

The level of dysfunction was laid bare in the independent report from a self-appointed Review and Observer Team, chaired by Peter Winder. The report was commissioned after a spate of childish name-calling, point-scoring and a raft of code of conduct complaints plagued councillors.

The report highlighted that councillors had little understanding of their role in governance, had a historic inability and unwillingness to make decisions, and demonstrated no self-awareness for their part in the dysfunctional environment and its issues lay in the legacy of historic decisions made.

In response, some councillors referred to potential grammatical errors in the report, questioned lexicon choices, argued for a glossary to determine what “dysfunction” meant, disagreed with the findings as errors of fact and eventually, six voted for a procedural motion to delay the discussion of the report by four additional days.

Winder responded by commending the councillor for his 'attention to the placement of commas” but in regard to factual errors that will be a “difference of opinion”.

Deputy Mayor Tina Salisbury, speaking about the report said Tauranga deserves better.

“I’m mortified we’re in this situation,” she said.

She was also embarrassed at six councillors’ reactions to the report.

“The fact this report was commissioned and laid on the table because we don't like what it says shows the need,” she said.

“To deflect [the review team’s] truth illustrates this.”

Councillor Heidi Hughes said she's lost any hope the councillors can sort their issues out.

“There is a complete lack of self-awareness and ongoing patterns,” she said.

“If I was the observer I would have thrown my hands in the air at the response of councillors. To point out spelling errors and it went downhill from there.”

Councillor Morris disagreed with the report and said the residents of Tauranga decide who runs Tauranga, not the Beehive. He did not vote for a Crown Manager as he believes councillor behaviour will continue after a manager is appointed or even get worse.

Councillor Andrew Hollis said they would be better suited to appoint a marriage councillor to resolve issues instead of a Crown Manager. He labelled the report as “poorly written” and it did not meet its terms of reference.

Powell is not the first casualty of the triennium, with councillor Jako Abrie resigning in October and also publicly calling for a commissioner to replace the embattled council.

The extreme move would effectively sack elected members and can only be undertaken should the minister believe there is a significant problem.

Powell said Tauranga is in dire straits, with a $2 billion shortfall in capital projects needing to be overcome in the long-term plan. Since coming into office, he has used the analogy of Tauranga kicking a “debt can” down the road for years. He has no confidence council can deliver a long-term plan to suit the city’s needs and thus, tendered his resignation.

Powell said he decided to resign on November 17 as the report was tabled to council ad the reaction from some councillors left him realising enough was enough.

“I felt myself watching that meeting in the third person – I was flabbergasted,” Powell said.

“Until last Tuesday’s meeting, I had every intention of returning to my post of serving the city for the remainder of the current term. However, I have come to the conclusion that that may only serve to perpetuate the status quo.”

“They have no self-awareness and could not see what was right in front of them. The world has seen these councillors, particularly a core group of them, have no ability to govern a city of this complexity.”

He also said his decision to resign was not connected to his recent diagnosis of having prostate cancer but there was a fundamental issue within the DNA of council.

Over the past few years there have been myriad bungled projects, budget blowouts and delayed decisions. High-profile blunders in recent years include the $14.2 million buyout of the Bella Vista Homes debacle to the $19m Harrington Street carpark that had to be abandoned.

“I think people will look back on this day in 10 or 20 years’ time and say this was where the change was made,” Powell said.

“I truly believe history will show that in November 2020, when the DNA of incompetence was recognised and cauterised, and, after a period of Crown management, that a governance team can be rebuilt with real leaders,” he said.

“It is my sincere hope that my resignation will facilitate the Government intervention I believe is required for the future good of Tauranga Moana.”

Labour MP Angie Warren-Clark said Powell's resignation was a real shame.

'I'm sorry it's come to this but I think Tenby has been a good leader and worked very well with central government,' she said.

'The behaviour of elected members needs to be reflected on. I think their behaviour outside of chambers is not a good look for our city.

National MP Simon Bridges said, via a Tweet, he was disappointed with what has happened at council.

'With the mayor and another councillor resigning, those now remaining must pull together and make it work so a Government Commissioner isn’t required.”