Bid to lift sanctions on regional councillor Fred Lichtwark pulled

Discussion on the future of suspended Waikato regional councillor Fred Lichtwark has been deferred after Three Waters programme business meant the deputy chair couldn’t attend a council meeting on Thursday.

The deputy chair, Kataraina Hodge, had moved a motion calling on the council to consider lifting some or all of the suspensions and sanctions Lichtwark faces. But, as she had to attend an iwi

Waikato regional councillor Fred Lichtwark insists he has done no wrong and won’t be doing ‘‘penance’’.

Three Waters meeting, she pulled the motion. She said Lichtwark had agreed to the motion being put and on her reasons for pulling it.

Hodge told Stuff yesterday that she planned to talk to Lichtwark again about whether the matter would be taken forward.

Lichtwark was temporarily suspended from all council committees, subcommittees and other representative roles in February last year over angry and abusive behaviour. The suspension was extended in September after a review found he had not completed all the remedial actions required.

Hodge’s now withdrawn motion had called for the situation to be reviewed.

‘‘He’s been off for a long time now,’’ she said this month when asked why she wanted the review. It’s coming to the end of the triennium and why not . . . it needs to go back to the table for council to reconsider.’’

On whether some may see reinstatement as premature if Lichtwark still hadn’t done everything requested, Hodge said: ‘‘That’s their prerogative at the end of the day.’’

When asked what outcome she wanted from the motion, Hodge said that for her as a councillor it was ‘‘that he can come back – whether that’s everything or some of it, I don’t know’’.

There was a risk Lichtwark’s situation could remain unresolved at the end of the triennium this year if something wasn’t done now. Prior to Thursday’s meeting, chair Russ Rimmington said Lichtwark had chosen not to abide by council resolutions and that he was disappointed Lichtwark chose to leave a September meeting discussing his case.

He was also concerned that negative behaviour at councils around the country could put off new local government candidates. But Rimmington said then that he would keep an open mind about the motion from Hodge and form a view over where to from here after the planned discussions on Thursday.

Also speaking before Thursday’s planned discussion, Lichtwark said he hoped discussion on the motion would see him re-instated to participating in committees and subcommittees. ‘‘I’ve been elected to do a job . . . to represent my constituents.’’

He claimed he was previously the victim of a conspiracy and resisted any suggestion he needed to make up for anything. ‘‘I’ve done no wrong, I’m not doing any penance.’’

Last month, Lichtwark vowed to stand for re-election this year.