Gore mayor Ben Bell says he is no quitter as council drama intensifies

Gore Mayor Ben Bell has been asked to resign by councillors but vows to stay on. Photo: GERARD O'BRIEN / OTAGO DAILY TIMES

Embattled Gore mayor Ben Bell has described himself as ambitious and confident, and says he is no quitter.

On the Sunday programme last night, he rejected accusations his leadership style was "presidential" and said he had tried his best to work with long-serving Gore District Council chief executive Stephen Parry.

The relationship between the two men broke down last year and councillors last week invited Bell, 24, to resign.

He declined and is set to face a vote of no confidence from the council tomorrow.

Asked on Sunday how he could carry on, Bell said he might need to be more humble.

He was at a loss as to how he could fix a situation when he strongly disagreed with the way it had been characterised.

Parry said previously trust had eroded significantly and the past six months had been the toughest of his local government career.

Parry declined to be interviewed for the programme and also declined an Otago Daily Times request for an interview last week.

Most councillors have signalled they do not have confidence in Bell, but one who does is Robert McKenzie.

He told Sunday he had seen Bell yelled at and abused in the council building.

Bell was not being shown due respect as mayor, McKenzie said.

McKenzie had some links to Bell's mother, Rebecca Tayler, a former council staff member who had a dispute with the council that cost it about $300,000.

Former mayor Tracy Hicks described Bell as being "new to town".

Hicks also said Bell seemed to be the only person at the council table who had a problem with the chief executive.

Yesterday, it was clear plenty of people in the community had a problem with Parry.

Gore resident Sean Burke started a petition calling on Parry to resign and by 9pm last night more than 1800 people had signed it.

"The people of Gore are fed up with the circus surrounding our local council and the efforts being made by a select few to oust our newly elected mayor," Burke wrote.

"This appears to be being driven by a select few of the 'old guard' on council."

He accused Parry of presiding over a culture of bullying.

Newsroom reported last week the council had paid out hundreds of thousands of dollars in severance settlements with staff, many with non-disclosure agreements.

The council has confirmed it paid more than $400,000 in severance settlements since 2004.

Parry said in a statement last week the Gore council was one of the biggest employers in the district and "any organisation can be subject to claims from former staff".

"In some instances these have substance and are dealt with professionally and confidentially by the business, which must always act as a good employer."

Minister of Local Government Kieran McAnulty said councils were responsible for resolving their own problems.

When particular problems arose in councils, the Department of Internal Affairs worked with them to understand the nature and extent of problems, he said.

The department had been in contact with the council.

"I am being updated as appropriate," McAnulty said.

"At the moment, statutory obligations are being met.

"If that changes, then intervention will be considered."

*This story was originally published by the Otago Daily Times.