Gore councillors vote for independent review after leak from in-committee meeting

Tuesday, 18 April 2023

Gore district council deputy mayor Keith Hovell tells why he filed a notice of motion requesting an independent review into the council's governance.

Gore district councillors have voted unanimously for an independent review into council governance, but moves to manage the relationship between mayor Ben Bell and chief executive Stephen Parry did not pass without a fight at a meeting on Tuesday.

Deputy mayor Keith Hovell submitted a notice of motion seeking an independent review and advice on restoring confidence in the governance leadership, after the working relationship between Bell and Parry broke down, and confidential information was leaked from an in-committee meeting.

In the days after the meeting, Stuff was told that Bell and Parry entered mediation in December, their relationship had broken down and they were still not speaking, an intermediary had been appointed to act between the pair, and that Bell had walked out of the meeting.

* The aftermath of the Gore District Council meeting leak - independent review sought

* Support for mayor Ben Bell on the street in Gore

Gore district mayor Ben Bell, left, and chief executive Steve Parry at the Gore District Council meeting on Tuesday, as the council votes unanimously for an independent review.

Speaking after the meeting, Bell said he supported the review and said he believed he had the support of the community, councillors and council staff.

Another two and a half years of continued controversy was not tenable, and that was why the review was in place, he said.

There’s been a breakdown of communications at the top between New Zealand’s youngest-ever mayor, Ben Bell, and chief executive Stephen Parry.

Speaking after the meeting, Parry said the review reflected the fact that ‘’extreme circumstances sometimes call for extreme measures”.

“This is a cry for help politically and hopefully that help will come so that the messages that need to be headed are headed and the correct measures are taken.’’

The council had struggled quite majorly in the last six months, but it had not impacted on the delivery of services to ratepayers, he said.

At the council meeting on Tuesday, a fiery Bell questioned several of the moves councillors wanted to put in place to manage the situation while the review took place.

The council would now seek a written legal opinion on the councillors' recommendation to remove Bell from the chief executive appraisal committee, after Bell pointed out that he could not be removed under the Local Government Act.

Bell also questioned the terms of reference for Cr Richard McPhail, who councillors voted would act as an intermediary between Bell and Parry for governance issues.

Gore deputy mayor Keith Hovell at the council meeting on Tuesday.

Cr Neville Phillips said the intermediary would ensure the council’s functionality would continue, and Cr Bronwyn Reid said as an employer, councillors were responsible for the chief executive’s wellbeing.

Bell said he did not see how it was relevant to Parry’s wellbeing.

Parry was then asked to address the meeting, and said the council had been ‘’paralysed’’ in making progress in the last six months.

Local Government Minister Kieran McAnulty says he is aware of the notice of motion for an independent review. (File photo)

He said there had been prolonged debate in having things signed off and keeping things moving.

The terms of reference for the review will be drawn up by council staff and reviewed at the next council meeting in May.

Hovell said councillors did not know the extent of the breakdown in the relationship between Bell and Parry before an extraordinary meeting was called to discuss it.

He told councillors there was a ‘’cloud of sadness and frustration’’ hanging over him.

“The dysfunctional relationship between the mayor and chief executive is not sustainable, and the detailed content of a meeting that was closed to the public appearing in the papers has questioned our trust in the people around us,’’ he said.

On Friday local government minister Kieran McAnulty said he was aware of the notice of motion.

“I’m aware of the situation in Gore, and know the Department [of Internal Affairs] is in contact with Gore District Council to better understand the nature of the problem. The department is still at an early stage in this process.’’

Also on Friday, DIA actinggeneral manager policy and operations Mark Tregurtha said ‘’whilst we are in contact with Gore District Council to understand the nature of the problem, the Department has no role in the establishment of a council-led independent review”.

He said DIA officials met with Parry a fortnight ago as part of a routine catch up with chief executives around the country. The same officials also met with Bell last week over Zoom.