Doubt after refusal to sign

INVERCARGILL

AN Invercargill City councillor believes his future in a council working group is at risk after he refused to sign a nondisclosure agreement.

Nobby Clark was one of the council’s members appointed to the sport and recreation oversight group, along with Cr Darren Ludlow and other stakeholders.

The group is set to discuss the future of important city assets, including Rugby Park and Surrey Park.

After a workshop this week, he was asked by a council staff member to sign a nondisclosure agreement, which would be effective for three years, but he refused, Cr Clark said.

An email from council chief executive Clare Hadley suggested he would be removed from the group if he did not sign, Cr Clark said.

The request was a breach of the Local Government Act, which stated council business must be discussed in an open, transparent and democratically accountable manner.

He was one of the most ‘‘outspoken’’ councillors, and believed the agreement was designed especially with him in mind, he said.

He had inquired as to whether any other councillors had previously been asked to a sign similar agreement.

‘‘The mayor [Sir Tim Shadbolt] and the last chief executive [Richard King], who was there for 30 years, could not remember any occasion when this happened.’’

He tried to raise the matter at the last council meeting but Mrs Hadley advised councillors the matter should be considered by the performance, policy and partnerships committee, he said.

An extraordinary meeting of the committee is scheduled for next Tuesday to deal with the situation.