Christchurch's Parker-Marryatt stoush sparks along

Council Watch has requested the investigation of Local Government Minister Nick Smith’s appointment of a Crown Observer to Christchurch City Council.

The lobby group says the appointment is unconstitutional, “unlawful or at the very least a blatant interference in the governance of a city”.

The move by Mr Smith was announced after a meeting he had with Christchurch City councillors and the chief executive Tony Marryatt last week.

The crisis at city hall deepened last week with further unilateral decisions by Mayor Bob Parker and Mr Marryatt, to appoint public relations consultant, Felicity Price, to conduct an $80,000 communications audit. Ms Price has had strong personal links to council personnel and related businesses, cultural quangos and council consultants.

Again, most councillors learned about it when it was announced to media.

The flames of renewed anger against chief executive Mr Marryatt were fanned before Christmas when he was given a $68,000 pay rise taking his annual remuneration to $530,000.

The tempo of the crisis increased in recent weeks when one of the dissident councillors, Tim Carter, called for commissioners to be appointed. He described a council manipulated by the chief executive and mayor who consistently excluded half the councillors from information and decision making.

Following the furore, Mr Marryatt indicated this week that he might forego the pay rise. But he was subsequently reported as saying he would forego only half of it and see how councillors behaved.

Council papers made available this week show that Mr Marryatt’s performance rankings have actually declined over the past couple of years, in spite of Mr Parker’s assertions that the chief executive’s work had been remarkable.

The decision by Mr Parker’s councillor supporters to grant the pay rise was motivated to shore up the Parker-Marryatt power base.

But it spectacularly backfired as evidenced by the extraordinary outpourings of anger in newspapers, talk shows and blogs, catapulting some community leaders who have gained profile since the earthquakes onto centre stage

A demonstration is planned for Wednesday outside the civic offices.