Woolf alleges bullying for bullying comment
Wellington councillor Simon Woolf believes he is being ‘‘bullied and intimidated’’ for his public comments on bullying.
Woolf confirmed that a Code of Conduct investigation is under way about comments he made about an Employment Relations Authority case in which former council employee Angela Rampton won $20,000 after the Wellington City Council failed to properly investigate a personal grievance.
Woolf in August told Stuff Rampton’s ERA fight was a ‘‘David and Goliath’’ battle that had likely cost much more than $98,000 to resolve when staff time was taken into account. ‘‘Council has so much ratepayer resource and we fight to win at all costs.’’
Sources have confirmed that an independent lawyer was called in before the elections to look at the comments but it seemed the investigation was starting again.
Woolf told Stuff the comments were merely him doing his job. ‘‘This is political,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m feeling I’m being bullied and intimidated.’’
Mayor Andy Foster said there would be a meeting late in the coming week to discuss the situation, which he said sat somewhere between being a ‘‘process’’ and a full investigation.
The situation was a hangover from the former council.
The Employment Relations Authority in August awarded Rampton $20,000, saying there were issues with the council’s ‘‘impartiality, adequacy of investigation and conclusions’’ when it looked into her complaint of bullying.
The council spent $57,367 for legal representation fighting the case at a 31⁄2 day hearing, $22,909 in other legal costs, and $17,775 for an investigation by a lawyer.
It was this spend that Woolf was talking about and which landed him being subject to a code of conduct investigation.
Under the council’s code of conduct elected members must ‘‘treat all employees with courtesy and respect’’.
Councillors can only raise concerns about council employees with the council chief executive, and should not seek to influence staff in their duties.
There are also talking to media.
Under the Code of Conduct, it is the chief executive’s job to consider allegations and if they are serious enough they are sent to elected councillors to decide if there is a breach.
If it is decided there is a breach, it is for elected council to decide the consequences. guides for