DAMIAN GEORGE
Last updated 17:24, April 19 2021
Wellington Mayor Andy Foster called for an independent review into the council’s governance in February.
Wellington Mayor Andy Foster has hit back at criticism over taking control of Wellington City Councils governance revamp, saying including all councillors in the process would have been an absolute shambles.
The statement comes just days after a leaked report into the councils governance recommended elected members work more collaboratively to achieve better outcomes for the city.
The report recommended scrapping councillor portfolios and resetting the councils committee structure by establishing four new committees, with the council to appoint chairs and deputy chairs for each.
But Fosters handling of those appointments has drawn sharp criticism from several councillors, who say the mayors exclusive approach was in direct contrast to the reports recommendations.
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The report said the council should use a facilitated process to make the appointments, so that it can deliberately use the appointments to help build an inclusive, all-of-council approach.
This announcement demonstrates that the mayor has ignored the recommendations in the report, councillor Jill Day said.
Foster called for the review of the councils governance in February following months of rancour and partisanship. (File photo)
He is making the same mistakes that have led to issue-by-issue decision-making.
Councillor Jenny Condie agreed, saying the appointments of the chair and deputy chair positions were far from collaborative.
She said she was told by Foster on Sunday which roles she had been offered, but was not told what roles other councillors had been offered.
The whole point of the report is it says were supposed to try and work together, Condie said.
Councillor Jill Day says Foster has ignored the recommendations in the independent review he called for. (File photo)
It specifically says the mayor wasnt supposed to hand these things [roles] out like candy. It feels like the whole point of the report has been missed, and thats really disappointing.”
Councillors Rebecca Matthews and Fleur Fitzsimons also expressed disappointment that not all councillors were involved in the decisions.
However, councillors Simon Woolf and Diane Calvert said they were happy with the approach, which involved councillors providing feedback for Foster to then make the final call.
Foster said it was agreed by councillors on Thursday that they would provide feedback on their preferred candidates, before having further conversations with him over the weekend.
Councillor Jenny Condie says Foster has missed the point of the review. (File photo)
When asked why he did not ask all councillors to make the decision together, as the report recommended, Foster said: I knew full well if you try and have that conversation, I think it probably wouldnt work very well.
It would have been an absolute shambles.
Foster admitted he did not inform all councillors of who had been given other roles, even when asked.
He said that was because of the way I expected some people would treat that information.
The proposed appointments mean Green Party member Iona Pannett will chair the policy, planning and environment committee, while Calvert, who currently holds the economic development portfolio, will head the finance and performance committee.
First-term councillor Sean Rush will chair the infrastructure committee, and former deputy mayor Day will lead the social, cultural and community services committee.
The report said the new structure would provide real incentives for councillors to work effectively and ensure leadership opportunities were shared among councillors.
The proposed committees will be discussed by councillors at a meeting on April 28.