Ministers are keeping a close eye on Wellington City Council, over a stoush between councillors and officials.
Some around the council table claim CEO Barbara McKerrow is withholding information from them.
She'd devised new protocols limiting information councillors could request from officials.
The proposal's been withdrawn after Local Government Minister Simeon Brown labelled it 'appalling'.
Brown says it should never have happened.
"The CEO of the council needs to realise that she is not elected, and that the councillors and the mayor is."
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Ever do for thee Ellens.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Wellington Council Boss Barbara mcro has come under fire for
threatening to withhold information from elected counselors. Now after media
coverage she withdrew the threat quite rightly. Simeon Brown is
the Local Government Minister.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Hi, Simeon, good evening.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
I mean, this is in the territory now where you
could really call in the commissioners or a Crown monitor,
couldn't you.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Well, we've made our views very clear that they need
to look at their policy. They've said they will. We're
keeping a very close eye on this issue and my
expectation is that councilors in Wellington have provided the information
they need going into making a decision on the LTP.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
I read in one of the local papers today that
if Wellington It's been said that if Wellington City Council
cannot pass its long term plan then ministers will consider intervention.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Will you Well, that is obviously a significant issue if
they can't pass their long term plan. But the point
that I've been making in terms of this issue is
that the CEO of the council needs to realize that
she is not all elected and that the councilors and
the mayor is and that she needs to make sure
they have all of the information needed so that they
(01:07):
can make the decision they need to make on their
long term plan. That is of critical importance to democracy
in New Zealand and CEOs of councils should not be
acting in this way.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Do you believe that this is a widespread problem wider
than just Wellington? Where have we had these unelected officials
who think they're the real boss.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
I am concerned about this issue in terms of some
of the issues I've seen raised by some councilors across
the country in terms of where there's been lack of
information provided or in some cases decisions made to prevent
members councilors from actually voting on particular issues because they
(01:45):
management may forward the view that they've got a predetermined view.
I think this is an issue that needs a wider
look at, and I've asked officials to do that because
my view is very clear. Elected members are elected by
the public to make decisions and the council staff are not.
They are public servants. They are there to serve the
(02:05):
elected members and am sure they have the information needed
to make decisions.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Listen to me and just back to Wellington. Okay, I
can understand why you might not want to get yourself
involved in something like this, because you're just going to
get yourself self involved in trouble if you call intervention in.
But do you not need to think about Wellington because
it is it is I mean as being run into
the ground by these people.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Well, I think about Wellington from a lot. I spend
a lot of my time in.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
So what's it going to take to call in some
outside help because these people are not up to it.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Well, look, I guess the point i'd make is we're
keeping a very close eye on this issue. In terms
of this, I have written to the council and there
was welling into the council in the past in terms
of the issue around there what infrastructure, so there has
been I have used those powers in the past. I
would just make the point though, there's a process that
(02:57):
is underway in terms of the long term plan, and
in terms of that process, the councilors are elected, the
mayor is elected to make decisions and they need to
go through that process. And in the meantime, the council
staff need to ensure that the councilors have all of
the information that you need to have to make those decisions.
They are elected to make those decisions. They have the
(03:17):
democratic right to make those decisions. And the mayor, the
council chief executive needs to realize she is not elected.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Yeah too, right now, listen, quick word is your energy
hat on on the power outage in Northland? How can
we have one transmission tower falling over and then it
cuts power to the whole region.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Oh look, it's It's obviously incredibly concerning for Northland. I've
been in touch with Transparer on a couple of occasions.
This afternoon. There's going to be a full investigation as
to what happened here. The priority at the moment is
restoring the power to Northland. There is another transmission line
going up obviously won't be able to carry enough load
for Northland. So tonight there will be about two thirds
(03:55):
of power restored and they are working to have power
stewed at the earliest fully by tomorrow night.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Sime, and thank you so much, really appreciate time as always,
simme and Brown local government minister, also the Energy Minister.
What did I tell you not going to call an intervention.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
In for more from hither Duplessy Allen Drive.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Listen live to news talks it'd B from four pm weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
Ever do for thee Ellens.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Wellington Council Boss Barbara mcro has come under fire for
threatening to withhold information from elected counselors. Now after media
coverage she withdrew the threat quite rightly. Simeon Brown is
the Local Government Minister.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Hi, Simeon, good evening.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
I mean, this is in the territory now where you
could really call in the commissioners or a Crown monitor,
couldn't you.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Well, we've made our views very clear that they need
to look at their policy. They've said they will. We're
keeping a very close eye on this issue and my
expectation is that councilors in Wellington have provided the information
they need going into making a decision on the LTP.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
I read in one of the local papers today that
if Wellington It's been said that if Wellington City Council
cannot pass its long term plan then ministers will consider intervention.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Will you Well, that is obviously a significant issue if
they can't pass their long term plan. But the point
that I've been making in terms of this issue is
that the CEO of the council needs to realize that
she is not all elected and that the councilors and
the mayor is and that she needs to make sure
they have all of the information needed so that they
(01:07):
can make the decision they need to make on their
long term plan. That is of critical importance to democracy
in New Zealand and CEOs of councils should not be
acting in this way.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Do you believe that this is a widespread problem wider
than just Wellington? Where have we had these unelected officials
who think they're the real boss.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
I am concerned about this issue in terms of some
of the issues I've seen raised by some councilors across
the country in terms of where there's been lack of
information provided or in some cases decisions made to prevent
members councilors from actually voting on particular issues because they
(01:45):
management may forward the view that they've got a predetermined view.
I think this is an issue that needs a wider
look at, and I've asked officials to do that because
my view is very clear. Elected members are elected by
the public to make decisions and the council staff are not.
They are public servants. They are there to serve the
(02:05):
elected members and am sure they have the information needed
to make decisions.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Listen to me and just back to Wellington. Okay, I
can understand why you might not want to get yourself
involved in something like this, because you're just going to
get yourself self involved in trouble if you call intervention in.
But do you not need to think about Wellington because
it is it is I mean as being run into
the ground by these people.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Well, I think about Wellington from a lot. I spend
a lot of my time in.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
So what's it going to take to call in some
outside help because these people are not up to it.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Well, look, I guess the point i'd make is we're
keeping a very close eye on this issue. In terms
of this, I have written to the council and there
was welling into the council in the past in terms
of the issue around there what infrastructure, so there has
been I have used those powers in the past. I
would just make the point though, there's a process that
(02:57):
is underway in terms of the long term plan, and
in terms of that process, the councilors are elected, the
mayor is elected to make decisions and they need to
go through that process. And in the meantime, the council
staff need to ensure that the councilors have all of
the information that you need to have to make those decisions.
They are elected to make those decisions. They have the
(03:17):
democratic right to make those decisions. And the mayor, the
council chief executive needs to realize she is not elected.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Yeah too, right now, listen, quick word is your energy
hat on on the power outage in Northland? How can
we have one transmission tower falling over and then it
cuts power to the whole region.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Oh look, it's It's obviously incredibly concerning for Northland. I've
been in touch with Transparer on a couple of occasions.
This afternoon. There's going to be a full investigation as
to what happened here. The priority at the moment is
restoring the power to Northland. There is another transmission line
going up obviously won't be able to carry enough load
for Northland. So tonight there will be about two thirds
(03:55):
of power restored and they are working to have power
stewed at the earliest fully by tomorrow night.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Sime, and thank you so much, really appreciate time as always,
simme and Brown local government minister, also the Energy Minister.
What did I tell you not going to call an intervention.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
In for more from hither Duplessy Allen Drive.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Listen live to news talks it'd B from four pm weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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