Kaipara mayor Neil Tiller has criticised a councillor for posting contentious letters online without giving him a chance to read them beforehand.
A five-page letter posted on first-term councillor Jonathan Larsen's website and addressed to both the mayor and deputy mayor Julie Geange slams a number of council procedures.
Mr Larsen said he has been criticised, obstructed and censored when he tried to raise issues and concerns. He was disillusioned with the lack of debate during council meetings and accuses the mayor, deputy mayor and chief executive of having a "stranglehold" on items selected for the council agenda.
Mr Larsen has posted open letters to the Auditor General and the Minister of Local Government stating his fears the council will default because of what he believes is a high level of debt.
In the letters Mr Larsen said he is "alarmed at how our council is being run ... we have incomplete and out-of -ate financial statements ... and I fear on the numbers given ... we will default within one or two years."
He said he is unable to get the full picture of debt because he is denied access to the likes of the council's EcoCare loan agreement which has a debt of $55 million (a blowout from its original budget of about $30 million) and is likely to rise further.
Mr Larsen expressed concern regarding the likelihood of rising interest rates on loans and the council's tendency to retreat into closed sessions for reasons which, in his view, do not meet the legal requirements for public exclusion.
"Frustrated, I have tried to get some of the issues addressed ... by giving formal notice of the issues by way of Notices Of Motion.
"Under standing orders, councillors can have concerns included in the meeting agendas, but I have been told I am abusing this process," he said.
For the June meeting he lodged 15 notices of motion; one he withdrew himself and another 11 were disallowed by the mayor.
"I have checked the reasons given by the mayor for refusing the notices of motion ... and by my analysis all are unlawful."
Mr Tiller said the letters would be discussed at a portfolio meeting on August 3.
"Out of simple courtesy, I would have preferred to have had the chance to peruse the letter [to him] before it had been made public," he said.
Issues raised by councillors should be discussed at the portfolio meetings to allow other councillors input into the decision of whether staff should do the background work for the item to be put on the agenda.
"This is not pre-judging , but just making sure there is sufficient timeframe and information for the item to be put on the agenda."
Mr Tiller agreed the council's incurred loans were an impediment to infrastructure improvements and any future infrastructure would need to be funded from income.
"EcoCare has put a huge financial burden on council coffers.
"We all know council's financial position is not as good as it could be, and we have an unhealthy debt level, but in going forward we need to find ways of paying these previous commitments," Mr Tiller said. "When we know exactly what we are dealing with then we will go to the public to discuss possible solutions."
He denied allegations of clubbiness among councillors, but said Mr Larsen had isolated himself somewhat.
"He is not a team player and has shown no inclination to work as a team player."
Mr Larsen said he emailed the letter to the mayor before it was posted and he still had not received a reply.
"Is the mayor saying because I posted the letter publicly is is not worthy of a reply?" he asked.
Larsen slams mayor online
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