Two Hawke's Bay regional councillors have defied their chairman's request to wear ties to meetings, turning up in open-necked shirts despite a request they dress up to deal with the "formal process" of council business.
Last month, council chairman Fenton Wilson made a "request, not a demand" of the seven male councillors that they all wear ties to meetings after three turned up without them.
One of the three men who was called out last month, Rick Barker, said at the time he was happy to comply with the request and arrived for yesterday's meeting wearing a tie.
However, the other two councillors, Rex Graham and Tom Belford, arrived in open-necked shirts.
"We have agreed to disagree on the subject," Mr Belford said.