Council feud restarts

Press, 21 January 1984, Page 2

Council feud restarts

PA Auckland Feuding on the Waitemata City Council has broken out again — this time over the Mayor’s use of a council car. The council decided last month to make the car available to Mr Tim Shadbolt after learning that his ageing Holden was unreliable.

Cr Bill Haresnape decided to look at the Mayor’s diary to check his need for council transport. He took photocopies of January’s entries, and that made the Mayor

“see red.” “This is vicious stuff, a particularly dirty attack. I was hoping to have a fresh start to the new year with all the old election wounds healed. It’s war,” Mr Shadbolt said.

Cr Haresnape confirmed yesterday that he made the photocopies and said the meeting which gave the Mayor the use of the council car was assured he had had a heavy workload of official functions. “When I looked at the diary, I found the only entry

for January was a mining protest in the Coromandel.” He said he would ask why the council was misled. “I do not see why the ratepayers of this city should pay for a car for someone who gets. $28,000 a year, $14,000 of it tax-free.”

Cr Ron Manuel wants the city’s Daimler sold if the council is providing Mr Shadbolt with a fleet car. He did not accept that the Mayor' should be provided with a self-drive car as the previous three Mayors of the city had provided their own.