Probe into claims mayor influenced council decision

Thames-Coromandel Mayor Philippa Barriball is being investigated by the auditor-general over claims she influenced a council decision for financial gain.

The allegation centres around claims that she lobbied fellow councillors to reject a proposed plan that would have made it harder for her to obtain consent for a three-lot subdivision on her land at Hikuai.

But Ms Barriball has strongly denied the allegation, saying she did not think she had done anything wrong.

"I don't see it myself, but it's up to the auditor-general," Ms Barriball said.

"There's not a lot to say. It's in the process of being investigated and we expect the report in the next couple of weeks."

Ms Barriball said she did not know who had made the allegation, but had been told it was another councillor.

Thames-Coromandel District Council confirmed that the Office of the Auditor-General had launched an investigation and interviewed involved parties last week.

The allegations of a conflict of interest arose following a public-excluded section of the council's February 24 meeting in which the council discussed the "Proposed plan change 9: Amendment to Rule 701.2".

The proposed plan change was to correct a loop-hole in the District Plan that was being used to obtain subdivision consent "as of right" rather than through assessment as a discretionary activity where consent could be refused.

According to one of those at the meeting understood to be Councillor Dal Minogue Ms Barriball "took over the discussion" and rejected the plan change.

She was supported by councillors Dirk Sieling, Noel Hewlett, Jan Bartley and Strat Peters three of whom sat on the council's Policy and Planning Committee which had recommended council adopt the change.

In a letter to Ms Barriball and leaked to Coromandel radio station Kool FM a councillor said "it was obvious to me that your supporters for this motion had all been lobbied prior to the meeting, probably by personal phone calls from yourself".

"None of them put up any coherent argument to explain their voting. In fact Hewlett, Bartley and Peters did not even open their mouths to speak."

Ms Barriball told the Times it was not unusual for her to call councillors before meetings, but that she had not done so to discuss this particular topic.

Mr Hewlett said this was the worst case of a leaked public-excluded document by a fellow councillor he had seen, calling it disgraceful.

He would not comment on whether the mayor rang him before the meeting to discuss the plan change, but did say he had told investigators "the actual truth".

- © Fairfax NZ News