Marryatt gone, Crown manager in offing
Christchurch chief executive Tony Marryatt departs.
Controversial Christchurch City Council chief executive Tony Marryatt – who on nearly $550,000 a year is New Zealand's highest-paid local government boss – has taken leave of absence pending further discussions.
His "leave" comes as the city council's accreditation to issue building consents is due to take effect next Monday.
International Accreditation New Zealand says there have been irregularities in building consents over several years.
It took heavying from Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee in a meeting with mayor Bob Parker and senior staff to bring about Mr Marryatt's departure this morning.
A council statement says a planned meeting this afternoon with four government ministers has been cancelled.
The acting chief executive in Mr Marryatt's absence will be general manager of on city environment Jane Parfitt.
A split between Messrs Parker and Marryatt was never publicly apparent but the mayor was embarrassed in recent media interviews when it became apparent neither he nor other councillors had any idea of the accreditation problem.
Always a controversial figure since his hiring in 2007, Mr Marryatt's acceptance of a $68,000 pay rise resulted in hundreds of ratepayers protesting outside the council offices in February 2012.
Chris Hutching
Wed, 03 Jul 2013
Wed, 03 Jul 2013
© All content copyright NBR. Do not reproduce in any form without permission, even if you have a paid subscription.
Marryatt gone, Crown manager in offing
30566