Big footpath deals held up by check on personal link

Personal links between a senior council manager and footpath contractor John Fillmore are expected to be cleared up before the Auckland City Council awards new contracts worth tens of millions of dollars.

Contract services manager Euan Ross, who is responsible for managing footpath contracts, has refused to speak to the Herald.

His former wife, Denny Aiston-Ross, said her husband and Mr Fillmore met through work.

They became friends, often went to rugby matches together and the two families socialised at Mr Fillmore's home on Takapuna Beach.

She recalled going with her husband to a test match between the All Blacks and Ireland at Eden Park where the Fillmores were present.

Council chief executive David Rankin and transport committee chairman Ken Baguley yesterday said Mr Ross' personal links would be addressed at Thursday's meeting.

The council will be asked to approve awarding two footpath contracts with a combined value of nearly $20 million to John Fillmore Contractors, which put in the lowest-priced tender.

The contracts have been put on hold pending several allegations, including the revelation that a member of the tender evaluation panel and former Fillmore employee Bernie Sheary accepted a ham at a Christmas party hosted by the contractor during the tender process.

Mr Ross has been cleared of an allegation that he was at the 2007 Rugby Sevens in Wellington with Mr Fillmore and his son, Sam.

John Fillmore said he was aware of Mr Ross' presence, but did not pay any of his costs.

Transport general manager Don Munro said an internal investigation found that Mr Ross was invited by a friend who was working for Fletchers and it was a coincidence that the Fillmores were there.

Mr Ross says he attended social events with Mr Fillmore including lunches, a function at a Parnell bar, a rally experience at Maramarua, attendance at two Christmas parties and receiving a Christmas ham "on at least four occasions".

The Herald has asked the council if the rally day breached the council's gifts and inducement policy which prohibits staff accepting gifts worth $150 or more.

Mr Sheary, who also attended the event, was given mounted photographs of the event by Mr Fillmore.

Mayor John Banks said he could not have confidence in the management, monitoring and tender evaluation of the footpath contracts until all the allegations were cleared up.

Mr Banks, who is being asked to award contracts that will eventually be handled by the new Super City council he hopes to lead, said he believed in full accountability and transparency in business transactions.