Councillors reveal discomfort at being called to private meeting to hear mayor's plans for independent review
Thursday, 25 February 2021
Two Wellington City councillors have revealed their discomfort at being called to a private meeting to hear mayor Andy Foster’s plans to call for an independent review into the council’s governance.
Sean Rush and Jenny Condie were among a select group of councillors called to Foster’s office for a private meeting on Wednesday morning organised by Foster, deputy mayor Sarah Free, and councillor Diane Calvert.
The councillors were advised of Foster’s intention to call for an independent review into ongoing problems between some elected members, ahead of a wider announcement to all councillors later that morning.
Condie said she received a text from Calvert on Tuesday night asking if she was free to catch up the next morning, and was “certainly surprised” to see a larger group at Foster’s office.
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Councillors Nicola Young, Malcolm Sparrow and Simon Woolf were also invited to the meeting.
“I didn’t know that it was going to be in a meeting with eight councillors,” Condie said. “I thought the meeting would be with one or two people, and I didn’t know what it was about.”
Rush said he was also surprised to see a large group of councillors gathered at Foster’s office.
“A couple of us counselled the mayor that it would have been better to get everyone on board,” he said. “I was a bit concerned about being portrayed on a certain side … I didn’t want to be put in a polarised position.”
Numerous attempts to talk to Foster were unsuccessful on Thursday.
Calvert eventually replied to interview requests by text, revealing she and Free were involved in Foster’s decision to call for a review.
“The mayor made the decision to call for an independent review, and he discussed with and sought the advice and views from myself and the deputy mayor on this course of action.”
Calvert said she and Free were asked to invite councillors who had previously expressed concerns about the council’s governance. Free diverted questions to Foster.
Foster announced in a media statement late on Thursday that former Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) and Auckland Regional Council chief executive Peter Winder had been appointed to complete the review.
However, that decision could yet be challenged, with councillor Jill Day calling earlier on Thursday for LGNZ to undertake or commission the review, rather than someone picked by Foster.
Day said according to city council regulations, it was the responsibility of the council’s strategy and policy committee, which includes all councillors, to be involved in any proposed review of the council’s governance.
“I have heard your public comments that you do not intend to involve all councillors in the decision about who conducts, and what is involved in, the governance review,” Day said in an email to Foster and councillors.
“I think that it is unlikely that this approach will lead to the kind of improvement that the city needs to see in our governance.”
Day also sent the email to council chief executive Barbara McKerrow and chief strategy and governance officer Stephen McArthur.
Sparrow and councillors Fleur Fitzsimons, Rebecca Matthews, and Iona Pannett said they supported Day’s position.
Young said she did not have a view, while Rush said the leaking of Day’s internal email to the media showed bad faith. Other councillors did not respond to a request for comment.
Foster told RNZ on Thursday morning he did not tell all councillors he was calling for an independent review because he was worried one of them would beat him to the punch.
“My inclination is that if I'd done that, I suspect somebody else might have called for an independent review. I did.”