Accusations of bullying and threatening tactics from Central Otago District Council elected members to their Cromwell counterparts were brought to light yesterday.

Cromwell Community Board chair Anna Harrison gave a passionate speech in the public forum of council, saying she was shocked and dismayed upon hearing about the inflammatory behaviour of some elected council members towards her board.

She said the comments had been used to try and belittle board members and persuade them to “fall into line,” regarding the council’s proposal to change the delegated authority of each ward in the district.

“I hope the mayor calls out this sort of behaviour and pulls the council into line,” she said.

The perception was that Cromwell would lose control of its assets under the council proposal, and the board was strongly against the move.

Anna told the council that the behaviour made her have concerns about predetermination, and she asked what was the hurry, “and why won’t you engage in discussion”?

Councillor Tamah Alley asked Anna why the CCB thought that the discussion about delegated authorities was linked to districtisation?

“If you rip the heart out of your community boards now, the conversation about districtisation that may happen in a year, or later will have no relevance to them because the delegations won’t exist anymore anyway,” Anna said.

The CCB believes the conversation about districtisation needs to come first.

Chief executive Peter Kelly confirmed a report would come to the council in August regarding districtisation, when questions could be asked about how they treat everyone’s assets.

He also confirmed that the decision made today regarding delegated authorities would have no impact on rates for each ward in this year’s annual plan.

Eight other Cromwell residents also spoke in the public forum, along with Teviot Community Board deputy chair Mark Jessop.

Former CCB board member Robin Dicey questioned why the council would risk “pissing off” the largest constitution in the district, and asked whether the CODC was hiding something.

Deputy Mayor Neil Gillespie said the council had let the community boards down and done them a disservice, and didn’t think they should be taking it any further.

Cr Alley said she’d heard that more people wanted to speak in the public forum, but hadn’t done so out of fear for their safety, which was a bit sad.

Mayor Tim Cadogan didn’t address the alleged behaviour, but told council they’d had an exceptional debate, and said they shouldn’t be progressing the issue further at the meeting.

“We need a clear majority and a consensus and everyone heading in the same direction, and we’re not.”

The council decided to leave the delegation discussion for now, with a decision made by the end of the year; meanwhile a paper would come back to council in August about districtisation.