Hastings councillor Wayne Bradshaw is asking Mayor Lawrence Yule to justify his bid to win a third term as president of Local Government New Zealand.
Mr Bradshaw yesterday said he was entitled to know how Mr Yule manages his multiple roles as Hastings Mayor, president of Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) and chair of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF).
However, Mr Yule says he has no obligation to explain his time commitments to Mr Bradshaw.
A Hastings District Council meeting yesterday focussed on Mr Yule's nomination for president of LGNZ.
Mr Yule had expressed a desire to run as LGNZ president for a third three-year term.
Mr Bradshaw said while a report by council chief executive Ross McLeod outlined the perceived benefits gained by the council from having Mr Yule in this role with LGNZ for the past six years, there was no explanation of how he managed his time between the roles.
"The council has basically given him carte blanche to do what he wants, when he wants."
He said the mayor's salary was $80,284 for his role as president of LGNZ, for which he planned to stand for re-election in July this year.
Mr Yule's salary as Mayor was $120,000 a year plus a vehicle.
He was also chair of the CLGF, a position for which he received no pay and was required to travel overseas.
Mr Bradshaw said he believed he was entitled to know how Mr Yule allocated his time and suggested he open his diary to the council.
Mr Yule, who had to sit out of the meeting due to a pecuniary conflict, said he wasn't accountable to Mr Bradshaw. "I'm accountable to the rate payers ... I'm not accountable to him [Mr Bradshaw]."
Mr Yule said he worked about 65 hours per week, of which about 8 hours and at least one trip outside the region accounted for his role with LGNZ.
His role with CLGF took an average of 10 working days overseas travel per year.
He was unwilling to open his diary to Mr Bradshaw.
"I'm not about to do that. My private life is managed in my diary ... I've been completely up front with the people of Hastings and I've been voted in."
In yesterday's meeting, Mr McLeod said Mr Yule was an exemplary leader who had managed his roles well.
Councillor Rod Heaps, who appeared to be Mr Bradshaw's sole supporter, requested a detailed explanation of how the Mayor allocated his time.
Mr McLeod responded: "From my experience you don't have to be at the council to do the council's work."
Mr Heaps also asked if there had been any analysis of "how much better the council could do if Mr Yule was in his office full-time".
Deputy Mayor Cynthia Bowers dismissed Mr Heap's query. "That's not a fair question; it's a political one."
Ms Bowers said Mr Yule was re-elected as Mayor with a significant majority and rate payers were accepting of his dual roles.
Councillors Sandra Hazlehurst, Tania Kerr, John Roil and Henare O'Keefe all expressed support for Mr Yule.
"He's a good man," Mr O'Keefe said. "A servant of the people. The relationships he's built, here and overseas - can only do us good can't it?"
Sandra Hazlehurst said Mr Yule had lobbied for Hastings in his role with LGNZ.
But Mr Bradshaw said Mr Yule should not be representing one council over others. "If you're the president of LGNZ you should be representing all boards, all councils, not one over the other."
In response to Mr Yule's support in yesterday's meeting, Mr Bradshaw said: "I don't know what deals are done in the background."
Asked what may have motivated Mr Bradshaw and Mr Heaps' queries, Mr Yule said: "They're having a go at me. Wayne stood for the mayoralty last year, he lost, and he's having a crack at me."