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Current council chairman Andrew Noone confirmed the department’s interest in the council in a statement to the media this afternoon after it was revealed in a press report yesterday.
Noone said the department’s interest in the council never went beyond informal conversations.
The focus was especially on leadership, governance and decision-making by councilors.
It came at a time when there was considerable division among councilors on how to fulfill the council’s responsibilities for freshwater management, in particular the recommendations of Environment Minister David Parker, Noone said.
He was elected council chairman at a special council meeting in July after nine councilors signed a letter on June 15, requesting that the meeting vote on the removal of Cr Hobb.
Cr Hobbs said some councilors had been trying to “get rid of it” since New Zealand entered its Covid-19 shutdown on March 26 and seven councilors called for a reassessment of council policy and finances.
The March 26 letter was signed by Mr. Noone and Crs Michael Laws, Hilary Calvert, Carmen Hope, Gary Kelliher, Kevin Malcolm, and Kate Wilson.
He called for the withdrawal and suspension of the ongoing plan changes and a review of the council’s regional policy statement.
Several days later, Cr Hobbs wrote to Environment Minister David Parker about the issues that emerged from the letter.
When her communication was discovered through an Official Information Act request, it was revealed that she had asked if she was losing key votes on freshwater policy if Parker would consider appointing a commissioner.
In today’s statement, Mr. Noone said the council acknowledged that it had been through a “tumultuous period” but was now operating in a more unified way.
He said he wrote to the local government minister, Nanaia Mahuta, to describe the measures taken to improve governance and decision-making through professional development on the council, as well as to strengthen the minister’s confidence in the council.
The Department of Home Affairs launched an investigation at Invercargill City Hall in August in response to concerns raised there about the performance of Mayor Tim Shadbolt and his councilors.
