Rift deepens between Auckland mayor and chief executive

In the same year Len Brown became mayor of Manukau, a company owned by the developers of controversially-doomed St Heliers mission-style houses was judged best business in Manukau.

If now Auckland mayor Brown knew that, it’s anyone’s guess if it touched on Glendowie-based developers Mike and Sandra Markham’s plan to demolish the Turua Street village houses so stridently opposed by the wealthy blue-rinse suburb’s protestors and some Auckland councillors.

The Markham’s company, Epic Packaging, which won several Westpac-sponsored business awards in Len Brown’s town, was judged best Manukau business in 2007.

An administrative scandal, which has seen hundreds of people take to the streets in protest and exposed gaps between what Mayor Brown says and what he does, erupted over the holiday period as last-ditch bids were made to stall demolition.

Mayor Brown appears caught in a widening wedge with supercity interim chief executive Doug McKay, a private enterprise hard man used to getting his own way and whose bureaucratic henchmen stand accused of trying to gag elected councillors.

Insiders said there were clear signs of division between Mr McKay and Mayor Brown and the mayor needed to exert more control over Mr McKay and senior officers.

One said Mr McKay and Mayor Brown had ignored concerns over the St Heliers houses and should have stalled demolition to allow a heritage assessment.

Mr McKay – a former senior executive of Carter Holt Harvey, Lion Nathan, Goodman Fielder, chief executive of Sealord and executive chairman of Independent Liquor – is politically naive and said to be struggling to cope with local government transparency and accountability.

So, it would seem, are his senior lieutenants.

While Mayor Brown publicly crowed this week about his involvement bringing “gravitas and profile” to his so-called “100 projects in 100 days,” ratepayers are still waiting to find out what the council transition costs were and how much more will be spent on merging the eight former councils into Browns-ville.

Centre right councillor Cameron Brewer, who publicly called for a heritage assessment of the St Heliers house and criticised a plan to spend $25,000 of a council fireworks display, told NBR he was “flabbergasted” to be contacted in “recent days” by “senior city officials keen to shut me up.”

Cr Brewer said senior city officials “very high up the ladder”, whom he declined to name, had contacted him “expressing their disappointment” over public comments he made about the planned fireworks display, the St Heliers houses and other matters.

“They are phoning and emailing councillors questioning why we are speaking publicly about things and accusing us of misrepresenting the council,” Mr Brewer said.

“Our facebook and twitter accounts are also being scrutinised by officials.”

“They don’t understand part of my role as an elected representative is to comment on things, including things the council does which I don’t agree with,” Mr Brewer, who has considerable experience working in central and local government, said.

“I have never before seen senior bureaucrats try to shut down elected representatives.”

“Some senior bureaucrats are struggling with the fact councillors come from different political philosophies, we can’t be controlled and they should take hits without being so defensive.”

“Officials have to live with our role – to keep this council and its 8500 staff accountable,” Mr Brewer said.

Cr Sandra Coney, who also wanted a heritage assessment report on the houses, told NBR she would talk about buildings but not people and had no comment.

“I didn’t put those things out that you have in NBR…I am a bit cagey about anything I say…”

In an email to Mr McKay – reported this week by NBR Online - Cr Coney, chairwoman of the council’s parks, recreation and heritage forum, rejected Mr McKay’s claims a 2004 heritage report did not support heritage protection of the buildings.

She told Mr McKay the 2004 report called for a further heritage assessment – which she said had not been carried out.

Ms Coney said she did not know if Mayor Brown had any connection with Turua Street developers Mike and Sandra Markham