Resolute Councillors awaits path to resolution

It went almost unnoticed last May when South Wairarapa District Council chief executive Harry Wilson suddenly resigned, 

But six months later it burst into the open as all nine councillors voted “no confidence” in Mayor Martin Connelly _ an action that even Gore’s roiling elected councillors stepped back from amid major dissent.

Was it the growing number of council staff resignations – a reported SWDC attrition rate of 22 percent, a costly pay-out to the departed CEO, or the mayor’s insoucient reaction to councillors’ concerns that tipped the issues into public view?

According to the councillors, their unanimous vote of no confidence in Mayor Connelly came from “the collective disappointment in the Mayor’s absence (from a formal meeting they called on the issue) and frustration of the council.”

“We understand that this course of action may raise concerns within our community. We want to assure our residents that we, the South Wairarapa councillors, stand united and resolute in our commitment to creating the best environment for robust decision-making on your behalf,” they said in a statement. 

(Advice confirmed the councillors have no legal power to sack a mayor, who is elected directly by the voters). 

“The vote of no confidence signifies our desire for meaningful change and our expectation of enhanced performance from the Mayor, both for ourselves and our community.”

It continued:

“Key areas of concern centre around the Mayor’s behaviour and performance, including but not limited to:

*Interaction with the public: The Mayor’s inconsistent and disrespectful treatment of presenters in public participation;

*Engagement with third-party presenters and staff: Instances of disrespectful and dismissive behaviour towards third-party presenters and staff and a lack of inclusivity during formal meetings and workshops, hampering collaboration and knowledge exchange;

*Engagement with critical processes: High absence and inconsistent engagement with critical processes, such as the Annual Plan and Long Term Plan, causing concern about the Mayor distancing himself from these pivotal responsibilities which have a substantial impact on residents and ratepayers;

*Acting in isolation: Representing personal support as council support and offering endorsements without the express consent of the council;

*Representation across media: Provocative behaviour on social media, creating division in the community. Failing to clarify that personal opinions are not representative of the Council as a whole when communicating via any media platform;

“We acknowledge that these issues significantly impact our effectiveness as governors, community perception, organisational risk, council cohesiveness, trust among elected members and community, and ultimately our ability to serve the community effectively. The South Wairarapa District Councillors find these issues wholly unacceptable.”

They then wrote an open letter and called an Extraordinary Meeting which the mayor, for health reasons did not front.

Result: the meeting veered into a full council no-confidence vote: 9 – 0.

“This decision reflecting the collective disappointment in the Mayor’s absence and frustration of the council,” they noted.

The group then went to the mayor’s home and presented the undated 5-page grievance letter on council letterhead, with the opening salutation: “Dear Martin.” 

It ended: “Signed with the express permission of all elected Councillors of the South Wairarapa District Council.”

Local Government NZ confirms it’s already “supporting South Wairarapa District Council to put effective governance structures in place to meet the community’s expectations.” It did not explain further.

Shortly before the election, Local Government Minister Kieran McAnulty asked the local  government unit at Internal Affairs to provide support to the council, and noted the issue was not yet at the point of intervening to replace the councillors with a commission. 

“To intervene I have to be advised that the council was unable to perform its core functions. I have not had any advice that this is the case,” he said shortly before October 14.