Email reveals concern
A war of words has erupted between Wellington’s ambassador and the city council’s top brass, with claims public comments could land the council in legal trouble.
Documents obtained by Stuff under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, reveal Wellington City Council chief executive Kevin Lavery slammed councillor Simon Woolf over a recent Facebook post.
In the post, Woolf criticised council staff for their ‘‘poor handling’’ and ‘‘abysmal’’ communication over the recent debate about funding for Wellington’s Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB).
In an email to
Woolf and Wellington Mayor
Justin Lester,
Lavery berates Woolf for getting involved in operational matters, which ‘‘raised code of conduct issues’’.
It is understood Woolf sent a series of letters to officials asking for information, and it was the culmination of those letters that ‘‘provoked’’ Lavery’s angry email.
Woolf, who holds the city ambassador portfolio, defended his actions, saying an email would not deter him from doing what was best for the city and constructive governance.
The email shows Woolf deleted his Facebook post at the ‘‘urgent’’ request of Lavery.
In the email, Lavery states he was as surprised as anyone with the CAB funding proposal.
‘‘I am not convinced that the proposal was as well thought through as it should be, and it should not have been a surprise to senior officers or councillors, let alone the organisation concerned,’’ Lavery wrote.
‘‘We absolutely could and should do better.’’
But his main gripe was with Woolf’s public criticism of council staff and officers, which used emotive and inflammatory language and caused needless stress and anxiety for the staff.