The main player wasn't there - but the game went on.
Outspoken Whangarei District Council representative Frank Newman has been censured after an alleged outburst at a high level meeting.
A special council meeting was held yesterday to remove Cr Newman from two chairmanships and membership of the performance review committee for
the council's chief executive officer Mark Simpson.
Mr Simpson has also been given the power to veto Mr Newman's interaction with council staff.
Mr Newman - who did not attend the meeting - had previously said he was quitting his chairmanships.
Mr Newman put in an apology for not being at yesterday's meeting and is apparently considering legal action.
He could not be contacted for comment.
Yesterday's meeting followed a May 25 discussion between Mr Newman, Mr Simpson and Whangarei Mayor Pamela Peters.
Confidential memos detailing the May 25 meeting have been posted on the WDC's website.
The May 25 meeting was to discuss Resource Management Act applications by Mr Newman, but deteriorated after an alleged outburst by Mr Newman.
Mrs Peters later issued a press statement saying Mr Newman had to be removed from his committee posts because of alleged "inappropriate behaviour" at the meeting. A council spokeswoman said yesterday the action taken against Mr Newman was solely to do with his alleged outburst - there had been nothing untoward regarding his RMA applications.
Mr Newman has responded with a statement on his website vowing to continue as a councillor and an outspoken advocate for ratepayers.
The statement had also said the "political retaliation against me" was disgraceful.
Eleven of Whangarei's 13 councillors were present at yesterday's closed-to-the-public meeting.
Ten of the 11 councillors voted to drop Mr Newman, with one - Crichton Christie - abstaining from voting. Cr Wally Redwood was absent. Accordingly, Mr Newman was removed as chairman of the judicial committee, as chairman of the reference resolution committee, and as a member of the team reviewing Mr Simpson's performance.
