Foster already under the pump after announcing independent review
Wednesday, 24 February 2021
There are already rumblings of discontent among Wellington City councillors over a decision by Mayor Andy Foster to call for an independent review into the governance of elected members.
Foster made the announcement at a council meeting on Wednesday, finally acknowledging the need for outside help to deal with an “extended period” of public and private spats between councillors since they were elected in October 2019.
Foster said at a press conference following the meeting he had been considering the move for some time, after an “undercurrent of issues” over the past year that had worsened since the Christmas break.
“We have been thinking about this, and how we respond to what has been an emerging series of comments and actions over a period of time, and we judged that now was the right time to take action,” Foster said.
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However, while all councillors supported Foster’s move to call for the ratepayer-funded independent review, his decision to inform a select group of councillors of his intentions prior to the announcement has reportedly not gone down well with those who were left out.
“I think it’s a clear demonstration of an inability to lead, to pick and choose your own team of councillors and then claim that partisan moments are ruining the governance of the council,” councillor Teri O’Neill said.
Foster told councillors of his decision at the beginning of a public council meeting, in which he called for infighting among councillors to stop.
“It’s become apparent that we have arrived at a crossroads that requires us to make significant changes in our governance, and the time to do that is now,” Foster said.
He said the community’s belief in councillors’ ability to govern had been “shaken and eroded”, and blamed rancour and partisanship for ongoing disagreements.
When asked at the media conference about some councillors’ concerns over Foster’s own leadership, he said calling for a review was “part of that leadership”.
“You can either say, ‘do nothing’, or you can do something about it. This is about doing something about it.”
Stuff understands seven councillors were invited to a private meeting at Foster’s office on Wednesday morning to discuss his plans; Nicola Young, Diane Calvert, Sarah Free, Malcolm Sparrow, Simon Woolf, Jenny Condie, and Sean Rush.
Except for Deputy Mayor Free, no Labour or Greens-aligned councillors were invited.
Asked when he informed councillors of his plans, Foster said: “Some of them will have known for longer, and some of them, not for quite as long.”
Tamatha Paul, who was not invited, said it was unhelpful to exclude certain councillors. “It’s an example of what’s gone wrong, to be honest, that’s a real shame.”
Iona Pannett said she was “surprised” to learn that the meeting took place without her. “Maybe this is something for the governance review.”
The review has come about following a tumultuous year for the council, with matters coming to a head again last Thursday following Foster's late proposal to privatise parts of the city’s central library building.
Other high-profile incidents include councillor Jenny Condie laying a formal complaint against Foster for allegedly trying to share “defamatory” statements about a former staff member before a key council vote, and Foster attempting to stop councillors voicing their opinions about the future of the central library.
There have also leaked internal emails calling for councillors to stop “bitching and moaning”, and the subsequent appointment of a facilitator to help iron out problems.
“It doesn’t take rocket science to work out that it is a challenging environment, and you read what you read, and you read what is written about you, and that is not a place that I want to be,” Foster said.
“It’s a privilege to have this role, and it should be something that people can enjoy.”
What Foster revealed about the review
Mayor Andy Foster offered few details on the governance review on Wednesday, saying more information would be released later in the week.
He confirmed he would appoint the reviewer or reviewers, and set the terms of reference.
“We have got some people that we are thinking about [to do the review], but we will give you the name when we get to that point.”
Foster also could not say how long the review would take, when it would start, or how much it would cost.
Asked about councillor Tamatha Paul’s claim the review could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, Foster said he did not want to comment on speculation.
“We have a rough order of magnitude, but the exact detail will be dependent on completing the scope of the review, and on the time it takes to do it.
“If you look at the council as an organisation, it’s a $7 billion-plus organisation, it’s got a turnover close to $600 million a year, and it has a massive impact on our city, so … it’s more a question of ‘what is the cost of not doing it?’”
Foster said the review would examine relevant information on council decisions; including face-to-face meetings with key internal and external people; observe the governance practice of the council, and provide a recommended action plan to make the council a high-performing one.
“I think the review will give us a pretty clear picture of where we’re at and what needs to change. Whether that’s in behaviour or structure, or any other way, we will await the outcome of that.”