Deputy mayor duties clarified in writing
It seems Nobby Clark’s beefed-up Invercargill deputy mayor’s role is to be formalised.
A memorandum of understanding has been drawn up for Clark and Mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt to sign which clarifies Clark’s role as deputy mayor.
It followed an independent review by Richard Thompson last year which suggested the need for clarity around the deputy mayor’s role at the Invercargill City Council.
The report alleged there was a leadership void at the council claiming Shadbolt was struggling to fulfil significant aspects of the role. Shadbolt has since rubbished the report.
Clark said his role as deputy mayor carried a much bigger workload than a ‘‘normal’’ deputy mayor would have.
He declined to elaborate on why he felt Invercargill needed more from its deputy mayor.
Clark replaced Toni Biddle as deputy mayor after Biddle resigned from the council, citing a belief she was doing Shadbolt’s job for him, but without the mandate of a mayor.
Shadbolt disagreed with that and reaffirmed his belief that he needed more staffing support to help him with his day-to-day duties.
Clark said he would continue to join Shadbolt at key meetings with external parties.
It would provide another council voice in those discussions and help boost the level of reporting back to councillors, Clark said.
Clark will leave some of the more ceremonial duties to Shadbolt to attend on his own unless Shadbolt was unavailable.
Clark said the memorandum of understanding helped to formalise much of the above.
The MOU says Clark will work with Shadbolt to ensure there is daily support for Shadbolt in the office. It says Clark and Shadbolt will meet every week to discuss Shadbolt’s meeting schedule.
Shadbolt and Clark will agree on attendance at external meetings at that weekly appointment.
Yesterday Shadbolt again stressed that he did support the conclusions of the Thompson report but in a statement to Stuff said he would sign the MOU with Clark to present a unified pathway forward.
He added he had no expectations on how it would support his role.
‘‘I sign in good faith, and it’s up to Nobby to display that too. Actions speak louder than words. I need an awareness of what I actually need to function not what he feels I need to function in my role, and I’m hopeful we can reach that.’’
Shadbolt said his preference would have been to continue to operate with an ‘informal agreement’ with his deputy, but he agreed to sign the MOU ‘‘as a gesture of the big picture of an efficient and committed council’’.
‘‘I am agreeable to work with Nobby as long as he remains respectful and is able to show reverence and honour to my elected role beyond his own views and sometimes passionate emotions, especially when we disagree on an issue.’’
The MOU will be put to councillors for its endorsement at a council meeting on Tuesday as part of a report on the Working on Working Together project.
The report from independent appointee Jeff Grant says the agreement between Shadbolt and Clark was not a legal document but offered a pathway forward for working collaboratively. If there was to be a change in deputy mayor the MOU would likely be revisited.
‘‘I sign in good faith, and it’s up to Nobby to display that too.’’
Invercargill Mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt