Gore mayor Ben Bell invited but asked to ‘refrain from attending’ CEO’s leaving party

Saturday, 15 June 2024

Bell asked to refrain from attending Parry’s farewell function

The Gore District Council spent more than $2500 on a farewell party for departing chief executive Stephen Parry – and while mayor Ben Bell was invited, he and two other councillors were ‘’asked to refrain from attending’’.

Bell confirmed this week that deputy mayor Keith Hovell had approached him and asked him not to attend “because Parry’s family would prefer that I wasn’t there”.

“We had a very grown up, adult conversation about it and I said that’s fine. We’ve [Bell and Parry] had a very public disagreement and I probably wasn’t going to go anyway,” Bell said.

He confirmed that councillors Robert McKenzie and Joe Stringer, who stood for election under Bell’s Team Hokonui ticket, had also been asked not to attend the party.

Parry resigned as chief executive of the council last year but agreed to remain at the helm in an interim role while a permanent successor was found. He bought forward his departure to May 10 after learning Bell had rewritten a draft letter he had written.

Elected members Ben Bell, Robert McKenzie and Joe Stringer were asked to “refrain from attending” a farewell party for Gore District Council chief executive Stephen Parry.

The party for 70 invited guests at the council’s James Cumming Wing may finally bring about the end of an 18-month, very public spat between Parry and Bell.

The council said all elected members were invited to the party.

However, emails released under the Local Government Official Meetings and Information Act (LGOIMA) show that in the days before the party, council human resources manager Susan Jones emailed general manager people and culture Nicky Cooper to ask if there would be any elected members in attendance.

Gore deputy mayor Keith Hovell asked Ben Bell not to attend the party because Stephen Parry’s family preferred that he was not there. (File photo)

“Am assuming not, but want to make sure,” Jones wrote.

Cooper replied: “There will be some invited elected members – however, some have been asked to refrain from attending.’’

Another email between two staff members had a list of five names, which have been redacted, with the words: “Ask Steve if these people are also considered as guests.’’

The party, with about 70 guests, was held at the James Cumming Community Centre in Gore.

Emails released under a previous LGOIMA request show that Parry did not want a farewell function, preferring to catch up with people individually before his departure on May 10.

But council staff swung into action, inviting about 70 people to a party on May 17.

Council costs included $1489.25 on catering; $617.77 on grazing tables, fruit juice and soft drink, and $420 for the room hire.

The cost of Parry’s departing gift was $1200. Of that, $500 was paid by the council, and the remainder was covered by staff contributions. (File photo)

The information response also included a $100.25 cost to Photobook Worldwide.

The council said the limited alcohol provided at the function was paid for by elected members in their private capacity.

Former Gore district mayor Tracy Hicks spoke at the farewell party for Stephen Parry.

Emails show Southland District mayor Rob Scott, Invercargill City mayor Nobby Clark and chief executive Cameron McIntosh, and Environment Southland chief executive Wilma Falconer and chairman Nicol Horrell all declined to attend as they were attending other functions or meetings.

The total cost of a gift, a Dick Frizzell lithograph, was $1200 and was invoiced to the council by the Eastern Southland Gallery. The invoice included a $580 charge for framing.

The council said it paid $500 towards the gift in keeping with its sensitive expenditure policy, which stated the council’s contribution to a staff member leaving after 10 years of service would be $250.

Elected members decided a $500 contribution would be appropriate given Parry’s employment was more than 20 years, and the remainder of the gift’s cost was covered by contributions from staff.

Gore District Council governance manager Susan Jones, who wrote a speech for the party that was read out by former mayor Tracy Hicks. (File photo)

Emails released by the council show speakers at the event included former mayor Tracy Hicks, former councillor Bret Highsted, councillors Bronwyn Reid and Richard McPhail, and members of Parry’s family.

Council marketing and communications manager Sonia Gerken read a speech on behalf of the council’s senior management team.

A speech written by governance manager Susan Jones was included in the LGOIMA response. At the party it was read out by Hicks because Jones was overseas at the time.

It addressed allegations of bullying that had been levelled at Parry during his tenure, which the former CEO denied.

“Over the past 23 years, there have been lots of good times interspersed with a few dark times,” she wrote.

“These mainly centred around staff who held a grudge for wrongly claiming they had been bullied into leaving the council when in reality, they were simply not up to what they were expected to do,” she wrote.

“Some of these people sided with the few misguided members of the ‘we know best’ group who are still active today.

“Some of the accusations made beggared belief and in the end, the action taken by you resulted in the best outcome.

“Some of these will be the same people who think Steve is a hard, unsympathetic person. I know that is completely untrue. Steve is a person who has a sensitive and caring side to him and I have seen that displayed many times.”

Parry was replaced by new chief executive Debbie Lascelles, who started at the council last week.