The chair of the Auckland Council's Ethnic People's Advisory Panel has resigned, calling it a token and criticising the city's mayor Len Brown.
Auckland Mayor Len Brown Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski
Feroz Ali said the panel had no real status, and slated the cost to ratepayers of a dozen advisory panels created by the mayor.
Mr Ali said he had attended five meetings since being appointed last year to the panel, which provides advice to the council.
He said it has no real status, and he was unhappy about the cost of the panels.
"There's several panels that's created and it's all costing ratepayers money. And I think when you look at what the mayor is proposing in terms of a ten year budget plan, I think it's fiscally irresponsible."
Mr Brown said the resignation came as a surprise.
"I prefer it when the views are expressed to me, and the elected representatives so that if there is anything we can address we can do it in a mature way."
Mr Brown said he would call a meeting next week of all of the panel chairs, including Mr Ali, to guage the wider views on how they were working.