Howe seeks injunction against Christchurch councillor

Christchurch businessman Tim Howe from Ocean Partners is seeking an injunction to prevent city councillor Aaron Keown from taking part in the Christchurch City Council's chief executive appointment.

Mr Keown haws publicly expressed support for incumbant chief executive Tony Marryatt who is seeking a second term.

Mr Howe told NBR that unless Mr Keown stands aside there is a strong likelihood that any reappointment of Mr Marryatt will be legally challenged.

The city could not afford leadership paralysis that might last four or five months, Mr Howe said.

Mr Howe said he was also deeply concerned about recent revelations that earthquake rebuilding and design contracts had been given to favoured firms without any contestability and in breach of delegated authority rules. (At a recent council meeting Mr Marryatt said that contestable contracting had been the exception rather than the norm in his five years at council).

Mr Howe said he had the support of leaders across the political spectrum who had written supporting affidavits. They included Canterbury Employers Chamber of commerce chief executive, Peter Townsend, Solid Energy chief executive, Don Elder, and MP Jim Anderton. Mr Howe said other political leaders had given expressions of support.

Support around the council table for the controversial chief executive Tony Marryatt is understood to be evenly split. But even supporters of Mr Marryatt have called on Mr Keown to withdraw from the reappointment process after he made several public statements supporting Mr Marryatt’s reappointment.

Deputy mayor Ngaire Button obtained independent legal advice from Wellington lawyer Mai Chen, which advised Mr Keown to stand aside.

Mayor Bob Parker has already stood aside from the reappointment process after making public statements supporting Mr Marryatt.

Many of the debates and votes over the matter have been held in secret council meetings, which have characterised the tenor of council meetings.

Ms Button, and councillors supportive of Mr Marryatt, have condemned the leaks, claiming that voting records remain part of publicly excluded information.

Mr Keown is a first time councillor who stood as a “ginger” critic of council. But since his election he has become a staunch supporter of Mr Marryatt and many law and order bylaws such as banning alcohol in public places in several suburbs.