Hucker takes one month stress leave

Auckland City's deputy mayor, Bruce Hucker, is on "exhaustion" leave after being taken to hospital during a council meeting.

Friends are blaming overwork for Dr Hucker's breakdown. He is expected to be away from work for a month after tests at Auckland Hospital on Friday afternoon.

The hard-working Presbyterian minister, who was not commenting yesterday, has been a councillor for 19 years and deputy mayor since last year.

His often difficult relationship with mayor Dick Hubbard was a feature of the early days of this council term.

The illness came on after Dr Hucker arrived in a "harried state" about 20 minutes late to chair a Watercare meeting of council representatives on Friday.

Deputy chairman Neil Morrison had to close the meeting early after Dr Hucker left quietly pleading ill health. Mr Morrison said the usually calm Dr Hucker appeared to be under pressure.

"As the meeting proceeded we noticed Bruce was not the Bruce we'd had in the chair for the last six years," said Mr Morrison, a Manukau City representative in the group.

He said Dr Hucker is usually "Mr Conciliation" but was "being quite assertive".

"We could see he was under some degree of mental stress."

Dr John Hinchcliff, Auckland City councillor, said Dr Hucker was exhausted through working too hard. "He's been working around the clock and he hasn't had a break for months."

He had visited Dr Hucker at home for about an hour yesterday, and said he was "exhausted".

"He's had a hell of a lot of pressure on him. He's had a leadership role, he is helping develop policies and a tremendously important social calendar.

"People don't understand the complexities and enormous challenges of local body politics - huge pressures, huge budgets.

"He's been doing a marvellous job, along with the mayor. He's very clear and very passionate about the city. He just needs a break. He just needs to relax."

Councillors and Mr Hubbard will meet tomorrow to discuss if an acting deputy mayor will be needed, and if so, who it will be.

Mr Hubbard said he knew little more than that Dr Hucker had fallen ill and had yet to speak to him.

Glenda Fryer saw fellow Auckland City councillor Cathy Casey and Dr Hucker outside Auckland Town Hall about 4.30pm on Friday and said he looked flustered.

She said it was the first time she had seen Dr Hucker without a jacket or tie.

A fellow member of the City Vision ticket, she said Dr Hucker had often been working from 7am to 11pm.

She went to a function to celebrate the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Auckland and Waitakere cities, an event, she said, Dr Hucker would have usually attended.

Councillor Graeme Mulholland said he did not think Dr Hucker's change in disposition would impact any recent decisions made by the council.

"He's only one vote."