17 August 2020

Media: Local Democracy Reporter

Topic: Code of Conduct investigation re complaint against councillor

Enquiry

[NOTE: this enquiry followed information provided last week re cost of code of conduct matters referred to Audit and Risk Committee - See HERE]

Can you please clarify which budget line this drew from?

Can I please also request comment from the chief exec and mayor on this?

After:

Their view of the expense (and the code of conduct issue with Cr Macpherson generally - that one more for Steve);

If it could have been cheaper in any way, and

If it was worth pursuing the code of conduct complaint process? If so why / why not?

Response

The following information and comments were provided:

Re budget lines: RLC operational budget

From Mayor Chadwick:

Once we have received a complaint we are obliged to follow our code of conduct process. This issue could have been dealt with faster and at no expense had Cr Macpherson engaged during the informal part of the process. He chose to not do that so we were obliged to refer the matter to the Audit and Risk Committee, which then necessitated a formal investigation and finding.

Re general views: Please refer to my statements here: https://www.rotorualakescouncil.nz/our-council/news/news?item=id:2e4vc6rnp17q9sj56y98

From CE Geoff Williams:

Code of conduct breaches, whether related to elected members or staff, are a serious matter and are treated as such. Once formal complaints are made we have no choice but to follow them through, as per the process that is in place.