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John Kirk-Anderson / Stuff
Alexandra Davids faces a challenge to her leadership on the Waikura / Linwood-Central-Heathcote Community Board.
Accusations of “Trump-style” policies and “despicable” actions have plagued a Christchurch community board as Labor-aligned People’s Choice members move to oust the board chair.
Five People’s Choice members of the Waikura / Linwood-Central-Heathcote board, including City Councilors Jake McLellan and Yani Johanson, have written to Christchurch City Council Executive Director Dawn Baxendale describing their intention to hold a vote. on November 30 to remove the president. Alexandra Davids.
The move came less than a month after People’s Choice member Sunita Gautam was elected to the board in a bielection following the death of longtime member Sally Buck.
Gautam’s victory gives the People’s Choice a majority on the nine-person board. The Local Government Law says that a vote to remove a president can be requested if the majority of the members support him.
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Buck resigned as president in April and one of his last actions on the board was to vote for Davids as his replacement as president.
McLellan said Davids and many other members always understood that another vote would be needed after the bi-election.
But Davids and the other three independent board members, Cr Sara Templeton, Tim Lindley and Darrell Latham, said there was no such understanding.
John Kirk-Anderson / Stuff
Cr Jake McLellan and four other People’s Choice Waikura / Linwood-Central-Heathcote board members are pushing for a leadership change.
McLellan said the change was about ensuring that a shared agenda could be carried out. He said he wanted to see action at Linwood Village and an increase in funding for community groups that have had low funding during the time Davids has led the board.
“We need someone with the competence, skills and experience to lead the board. That is clearly what is best for the community.
“I think there are several potential candidates that would increase the effectiveness of the board.”
Johanson said he disagreed with using the emergency powers of Covid-19 to have a special meeting to appoint a president before the bi-election.
One of the board members was an essential worker at the time and was unable to attend.
“This is the process used to determine who should be the president being fair.”
Templeton called the antics nothing more than “people playing politics” when they should continue the work of advocating on behalf of the community.
She said Davids is an excellent president who is “positive and constructive.”
Stacy Squires / Stuff
Board member and councilwoman Sara Templeton supports Davids continuing as president.
Latham and Lindley have also supported Davids.
Latham said he was “saddened and incredibly disappointed” by the actions of the other five members of the board.
“This Trump, ‘let’s roll’ political style has no place or appropriate for a community board working to do what is best for the Linwood-Central-Heathcote communities.”
Lindley said the actions of the five were “despicable and shameful.”
She had high expectations of David and she had exceeded them, she said.
“If I’ve changed my mind about Alex, it’s easy to underestimate her. It seems to me that she has considerable depth to her character and that she is growing well in the position of president. “
Davids said she was disappointed but still backed herself as president.
She had been on the board for seven years and knew her community and the issues, she said.
Davids is an advocate for the Battered Women’s Trust and chairs the New Zealand local government community executive board, the Whitau School board of directors, and Keep New Zealand Beautiful.
The other People’s Choice members who supported the removal of Davids, Michelle Lomax, Jackie Simons and Gautam, did not respond to questions from Things.
