Councillor collapses North Shore City Council meeting

"North Shore City Councillor Chris Darby deliberately walked out of a council meeting of North Shore City Council today, collapsing the quorum of eight elected members required to hold the meeting," says Mayor Andrew Williams.

"This was yet another example of the petulant way in which this Councillor has conducted himself during this term of Council, and it is an insult to the other elected members present."

The extraordinary meeting had been called in order to consider nominations that had been received by today's 30 June cut-off date for possible candidates for Council Controlled Organisations of the new Auckland Council. As a result of a request from the Minister of Local Government Rodney Hide the Council had sought expressions of interest through a publicly notified and advertised process requiring interested people to submit their CVs to city council officers handling the process," says Mayor Williams.

Councillor Darby appeared to be unhappy with the course of action suggested by two of the Councillors and, rather than engage in debate, knowingly chose to collapse the meeting, despite a reminder as he left from the Mayor of the consequences of his actions.

"Unfortunately this has become par for the course with this particular Councillor, who has had a history of being disruptive at council and committee meetings. This has led on several occasions to his having to either be asked to apologise, having refused to apologise to the meeting, or leaving on his own accord or being asked to leave by the chair."

"These incidents have been extremely disappointing as Council has a collective responsibility to ensure that the business of Council is effectively actioned. Our ratepayers would be extremely concerned and disappointed by the manner with which this Councillor is behaving, including trying to undermine Council negotiations with the Auckland Transition Agency, at a time when Council needs good co-operation in this transition period to the new Auckland Council," says Mayor Williams.

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