Axed South Taranaki district deputy mayor Alex Ballantyne has appealed to have the decision reversed by the Chief Ombudsman Dame Beverley Wakem this week.
"I have never had a chance to have my say - it's been unfair and I simply don't deserve it," Mr Ballantyne said after being stripped of the deputy mayor's role.
He said he was told he was being dropped at an extraordinary council meeting two weeks ago - a meeting which was closed to the public.
"I had nothing in writing - it was all verbal, and then the councillors voted," Mr Ballantyne said.
When asked why there were no written allegations about Mr Ballantyne, Mayor Ross Dunlop told the Chronicle that Mr Ballantyne had been speaking out publicly with no thought that he was a councillor and the district's second-in-charge, and he had "caused his own demise".
Mr Dunlop said Mr Ballantyne had:
-Spoken out publicly about council business
-Given unsubstantiated information
-Shared confidential information from council committees
- Publicly criticised council staff who had no chance to defend themselves.
The bust-up stems from Fonterra dumping buttermilk in the Eltham wastewater plant. The buttermilk had rotted and caused a stink through the town.
Mr Ballantyne lives in Eltham and was an outspoken critic of the council's handling of the matter.
Mr Dunlop said it was horrific hearing Mr Ballantyne had spoken to Radio New Zealand, TV3's Campbell Live and to newspapers.
The mayor said Mr Ballantyne never sought advice but just went ahead and gave out the wrong information.
"That's all documented - he gave out information that was sub judice."
Eltham Action Group leader Mark Kelly said the way Mr Ballantyne's sacking had been handled was "disgraceful".
"It should have all been documented and in writing," he said.
Councillor Ian Wards supported Mr Ballantyne keeping his job and said he was dumped based on verbal accusations from the mayor only.
His biggest concern was not the validity of the claims, but the manner in which the deputy mayor lost the position.
Any breaches of the code of conduct had never been detailed and no written report given to councillors, Mr Wards said.
"We have only had a verbal accusation from the mayor, and Mr Ballantyne was not given the opportunity to challenge the accusations."
Mr Ballantyne was subsequently dumped on a council vote of 7-5.
Mr Wards believes the mayor should not have had a vote. "That the matter was voted on by his accuser is a breach of natural justice."
Mr Wards said he was unaware of any issues between the mayor and deputy mayor before the buttermilk issue arose.