“They need to get on with it”.
That’s what some Gore ratepayers had to say about their council, pleased it’s agreed on an independent review into a fallout at the top.
It comes after the rift between the country’s youngest mayor, Ben Bell, and Gore District Council chief executive, Stephen Parry, was the subject of an information leak last month.
“A dysfunctional relationship between the mayor and chief executive is not sustainable,” Deputy Mayor Keith Hovell said at a meeting last night.
Councillors agreed to take further action in the form of an independent review so “we can work on the things we know we should be working on,” Hovell said.
And the people of Gore are on board with the proposal.
“An independent review is needed, very much so,” one local said.
“I think it's a good idea.. it needs to get sorted; the council need to get on and do their productive work. It's just a bit of a shame the way it's all panned out,” another told 1News.
The relationship breakdown began before Christmas, with Parry calling it the “toughest six months I've had in my local government career”.
But last month, confidential information from a closed-doors meeting was leaked, showing the whole region just how bad things had gotten between the two.
“The trust is at a very, very low, low level, and it's incredibly fragile. As you rightly allude to, leaks corrode trust; the leak recently was very bad and deeply upsetting for a number of parties,” Parry said.
Bell supports the review, hoping it'll help to assure the community.
“I'm in support of a review, I think we can always improve as a council, and clearly, we've had some issues, so I bring on a review and give the community some reassurance that we will enact on what comes from that review.
“Anyone who would come into a role after a mayor who has been in here so long is always going to experience the ruffling of feathers if you will.”
The chief executive says the council’s state of affairs had left it “paralysed”, unable to make progress for months.
“We've been delayed; the litmus test will be over the next three months if we can get an annual plan together.”
Concerns around productivity will be a key driver of the review.
“Until a review is taken, don't take anything as a grain of salt or a slide on yourself; it's about the functionality of the council. That's the main objective.”
The terms of reference now need to be drawn up for consideration at next month's meeting.
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