The Code of Conduct Complaint heard within yesterday’s Kapiti Coast District Council’s meeting showcased on multiple levels ‘politics with a small p’ in action.
KCDC was, I believe, ‘pitch perfect’ in addressing this complaint within an open session. I applaud them for doing so.
Mayor Church from the Chair determinedly steered the proceedings towards a ‘no case to answer’ in terms of the boundaries of the relevant Code of Conduct, then ergo no apology nor censure required.
Commendably, the elected body defeated the Mayor’s first two objectives (10 [9?] votes to his 1) establishing their view that Councillor M. Scott’s behaviour both transgressed their Code of Conduct and that his apology should be forthcoming.
Articulate input from David Roil, Christopher Ruthe and Salima Padamsey clearly evidenced the value that rate paying members of the public attribute to integrity and natural justice.
The staunch integrity brought to the debate by Councillors David Scott (initiator of the complaint), Elliott, Gurunathan, Welsh and Bell held off the Mayor’s determination to ‘slam dunk’ both the process and the outcome.
I highly recommend Councillor Gurunathan’s incisive skills to any debating team looking for an additional member!
Councillors Ammundsen and Gaylor, ably abetted by Councillors Cardiff and Holborow, delivered (by way of a 1 vote majority) their farewell gift to the Mayor that defeated the motion that Councillor Michael Scott be censured.
Councillor Holborow’s apparent short term memory loss around an email that she had authored will, I predict, come back to haunt her.
Councillor Michael Scott has, in my view, placed himself centre stage in the forum of public opinion – a position achieved through his belligerent writing and his frequently observed abusive contempt towards both his elected colleagues and members of the rate paying public.
Margaret Stevenson-Wright
Waikanae ratepayer
In summary then:- the council voted unanimously (except for Mayor Church) that Michael Scott had breached the code and be required to apologize to the 13 recipients of his e-mail.
But the council voted by a majority of 1 not to ‘censure’ Michael Scott. [–Eds]
I suggest that the integrity of Bell and Welsh is nothing more than with an eye to the election, especially in regard to Welsh’s candidacy as mayor. They have previously thought nothing of lying, and voting against code of conduct complaints purely on the basis of self-interest. They have thought nothing of sacrificing integrity. To be perfectly clear: Murray Bell is a liar. Gavin Welsh is a liar, and they have been part of a contemptible ‘inner core’ , as Gurunathan calls it. As one would expect from narcissists, as the elections near, there will be temptations to back-stab among former ‘colleagues,’ or something akin to rats deserting a sinking ship. Soon may it sink.
It might be again apt to recall that it was Murray Bell who gutlessly used Councillor’s response time – during which the public cannot reply – to slander me as a bully, coward and liar, claiming he saw me attempt to assault Janet Holborow, and goad me into reacting, which I did with gusto. This was used as an excuse to have me trespassed from council, for disrespecting a Councillor. Since we are now told that standing orders supersede the Code of Conduct during meetings, based on a motion courtesy of Michael Scott, the ratepayer has no recourse to object against such piggishness. The ultimate recourse is to vote the liars and self-servers out, and then to have a majority on council with integrity, capable of calling some miscreant senior management to account, with a hearty ‘good bye’….