Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau. Photo: RNZ / Reece Baker
- Wellington City Council will hold an urgent meeting on Wednesday afternoon at 2.30pm.
- It comes after the central government called the council a "shambles" and said it would intervene if necessary.
- The meeting would see councillors discuss the council's long term plan amendment process after it voted not to sell its airport shares.
Wellington City Councillors will hold an urgent meeting Wednesday afternoon after the government threatened to intervene.
On Tuesday, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown told media he was seeking advice from officials on the options available to him and thresholds to intervene in the city council.
It came after the council voted last Thursday to stop the sale of its 34 percent stake in Wellington Airport.
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The sale was part of the council's long-term plan, with money raised from it set to be used to establish an investment fund.
Yesterday afternoon City Councillor Diane Calvert emailed Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau to ask for a meeting between councillors and mana whenua after the airport vote.
The meeting would see the councillors discuss the council's long term plan (LTP) amendment process in wake of the council's decision not to sell its shares.
It would include discussion on how staff calculated the resulting $400-$600 million deficit caused, reviewing projects, and considering seeking independent support for navigating the LTP amendment process.
Calvert said in the email she recommend a media release from the mayor "outlining a constructive way forward that involves all council members and conveys a unified message".
She said this was vital for restoring public and government confidence in the council.
A private meeting would be held at 2.30pm Wednesday.
In a statement, Whanau told RNZ she would be meeting with councillors today to discuss options for their long-term plan amendment and she would have "more to say" about their plan shortly.
She had also requested a meeting with Simeon Brown to discuss their next steps, she said.
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