Stratford councillor absent after code of conduct breach alleged

Stratford District councillor Graham Kelly. FILE

A Stratford councillor has stopped attending council meetings after an alleged code of conduct breach.

Rural ward councillor Graham Kelly says he was asked by the mayor to "take time off", though Stratford Mayor Neil Volzke says this is inaccurate.

Mr Kelly told an NZME journalist he was effectively stood down at a full council meeting in February.

"The mayor decided that the code of conduct had been breached by me and has asked that I take time off to consider my positions on council."

He said the matter was to be further discussed at the next council meeting on May 9.

Mr Kelly said his comments to the media were made on advice of his solicitor, "who has also advised me not to say anything else".

The sole full council meeting which took place in February was on February 14. At no time in the public portion of the meeting was a code of conduct breach mentioned.

Since the February 14 meeting, Kelly has attended two council meetings, and been absent from five.

When questioned about Mr Kelly's situation, Stratford mayor Neil Volzke said he had "no comment to make at this time".

When asked specifically whether there was a reason for Mr Kelly's recent absences from council meetings, Mr Volzke said: "Councillor Kelly's poor attendance at council meetings is not at my request. His non attendance is purely of his own choice."

In the last seven months, deputy mayor Alan Jamieson and councillors Rick Coplestone, Peter Dalziel, Jono Erwood and Gloria Webby had all missed one meeting each.

Councillor Erwood's absence was for bereavement leave. All other councillors, including the mayor, have 100 per cent attendance record in this time frame.

Mayor Neil Volzke says overall attendance by Stratford councillors at meetings is "very good". - Additional reporting by Sieska Verdonk.