Tauranga Deputy Mayor Kelvin Clout has been accused of being naive in taking money for his election campaign from one of the city's biggest developers.
City councillor John Robson said that in a city such as Tauranga, where developers were a powerful lobby group, he was surprised that in hisopinion Cr Clout went "above and beyond" for a developer at a council meeting this week.
He was commenting on Cr Clout's admission that developer Bob Clarkson contributed to his election campaign - a campaign in which Cr Clout came close to toppling Mayor Stuart Crosby.
Cr Clout's admission came after the Bay of Plenty Times asked whether, given the strong suggestions last year that Mr Clarkson helped fund his campaign, that he might feel beholden to Mr Clarkson.
The question was asked in the context of Monday's meeting this week in which Cr Clout successfully urged the council to put a timetable around fast-tracking the planning needed to achieve an additional supply of land outside the SmartGrowth process - land that may include Mr Clarkson's land at Tauriko.
His move to put a deadline of November 20 on when staff reported back to the council, added to the recommendation already in front of the meeting on the need to fast-track development of additional greenfield areas.
Cr Robson said he believed Cr Clout would have been better not to have taken a handout from Mr Clarkson because in his opinion it left open the suggestion of a conflict of interest. He wondered why, when Mr Clarkson was happy with the staff recommendation to the meeting, that Cr Clout went further.
Cr Clout denied being naive although he said he would think carefully about who he approached in future for support.
He and Mr Clarkson were friends who shared similar views and aspirations, with publicity before the election making it clear that he was looking at the Tauriko land and other land for affordable housing, he said.
"It shouldn't necessarily be a shock to anyone."
Cr Clout said if there were compelling reasons why Mr Clarkson's land should not be developed then he would take that into account. "I make up my own mind when deciding what is best for Tauranga, issue by issue, and my support for the development of his land at Tauriko is based on its own merits."
Deputy Mayor Kelvin Clout and developer Bob Clarkson, above, were friends who shared similar views and aspirations.
Cr Clout said he felt no sense of a conflict of interest and has had no business dealings with Mr Clarkson. There were no strings attached to the donation that was below the $1500 threshold for disclosure under the Local Electoral Act.
Mayor Stuart Crosby said Cr Clout was an honourable person but he believed there could be a perception of a conflict of interest in some people's minds and in his view if there was any doubt then councillors should not participate in debate.
"At the end of the day, it is up to the individual member to make that call."
Councillor Rick Curach said: "I trust Kelvin and he would not have given Bob preferential treatment." But some people could perceive a conflict and for that reason in Cr Curach's opinion it would have been wiser if Cr Clout had not promoted the resolution to the meeting.
Councillor Matt Cowley said he believed it would have been prudent and transparent if Cr Clout had acknowledged the relationship with Mr Clarkson before he put the motion on Monday.
Mr Clarkson responded that the staff recommendation was bureaucratic because it did not have a time line on it. He said Cr Clout did not have a conflict of interest. "He is too honest for that."
He described his campaign contribution as a helping hand to get a change of council.
"At last we have got a council with a bit of friggin' life."
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