Shadbolt, Biddle in bust-up

It seems Invercargill mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt has fallen out with another deputy mayor, saying he has lost trust in current deputy Toni Biddle.

Shadbolt and councillors met yesterday to discuss a major governance overhaul, with the traditional four committees to be stripped back to two committees.

The proposed change was voted 8-5 in favour, with those keen for the overhaul suggesting it would speed up the council’s decisionmaking process.

Following the meeting, Shadbolt released an explosive statement to The Southland Times where he voiced his disappointment in the decision and declared he no longer trusted his deputy.

‘‘[The] result represents a victory for the CE [chief executive Clare Hadley] and her shadow cabinet on council.

‘‘The shiny new structure has been touted as a breakthrough for efficiency and speedy decisionmaking. It has been orchestrated to sideline me ... It destroys my casting vote on any significant issue.’’

Shadbolt said he hit a brick wall at the meeting and was ‘‘ambushed in a lion’s den of thirst for power’’.

‘‘As I looked around the council table I was gutted by the loss of loyalty, most importantly from my own deputy. There was no honour as she was party to watering down the mayoral powers. I am now forced to work alongside a deputy I can no longer trust.’’

Biddle was disappointed by Shadbolt’s statements.

‘‘There has been no watering down of democracy, the ability for the public to have input into council’s decisions or the removal of his Worship’s powers, chairmanship or his casting vote,’’ Biddle said.

‘‘Regardless of Sir Tim’s reaction or personal comments made towards me, I will continue to support our mayor as I always have.’’

Biddle put up a motion at the meeting to allow her to attend official stakeholder meetings with Shadbolt, which she said would ensure good reporting back to the council.

That motion also upset Shadbolt. ‘‘If she has any moral calibration she will do the right thing,’’ he said.

Biddle said Shadbolt had always reached out to her for support with external meetings and stakeholder groups.

The mandate was sought to continue the process; it did not take power from Shadbolt, she said.

The four councillors who voted against the governance changes were Lindsay Abbott, Peter Kett, Alan Arnold, and Nobby Clark for various reasons.

Following that vote, councillors then went about voting on the chairs of the two committees.

Pottinger was voted unopposed to the role of chairman of the infrastructural services committee.

However, voting for the performance, policy and partnerships committee was more intense. With the councillors locked at 6-6, Shadbolt voted for Darren Ludlow, a deputy he has previously ousted, over his current deputy, Biddle.

At the meeting, Pottinger spoke passionately about the need for the council to change. ‘‘No wonder we don’t get anything done – it’s the system we operate in,’’ he said.