The about to be deposed Allan Birchfield sits stoney faced at the top table, right, prior to the proceedings which resulted in his replacement by councillor Peter Haddock, to Birchfield's right. Photo: Greymouth Star / Brendon McMahon
Sacked former West Coast Regional Council chairman Allan Birchfield is back with a warning: "watch out".
Birchfield left abruptly after losing the vote for the chair at an extraordinary council meeting on 28 March - his first day back after four months' leave of absence - giving rise to speculation he may not return at all.
However, he told the Greymouth Star resignation was not on his mind, although in the future it would now depend on whether he felt up to the job.
"I'll carry on. There's some awkward questions to be asked and it looks like I'm going to be the one that's going to be asking them," Birchfield said on Wednesday.
Opening the monthly council meeting yesterday, new chairman Peter Haddock acknowledged the workload Birchfield had shouldered previously as chairman, referencing the burden he had experienced himself in his four months as acting chairman.
On Wednesday, Birchfield said simply the new chairman had a job on his hands.
"He's going to struggle."
The atmosphere around the table was muted on Tuesday, with no small talk as Birchfield arrived. He left immediately after the meeting ended.
There had been no healing in the rift with his fellow councillors since his removal and the former chairman said he intended to play it straight from now on.
"There's been no dialogue. I'm my own person; I'll come in and do what I think is best for the community. I will be telling it the way I see it - there's no restriction on me now - I can tell things the way they are."
Former West Coast Regional Council chairman Allan Birchfield. Photo: Greymouth Star / Brendon McMahon
Birchfield said his removal from the strictures of leading the council would allow him to more directly advocate for the community.
"I'm only interested in the public part of the meeting. I will be asking any questions I think need asking - so watch out."
On Tuesday, he suggested the council keep any in-committee matters to the end of the meeting. On Wednesday, he said he did that in the interest of transparency and ensuring the public remained engaged.
He always "felt awkward" having to tell people observing the meeting to go.
"There's too much of it done in-committee as far as I'm concerned."
Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air