Kelvin Clout switches sides in Tauranga City Council deputy mayor row: What he gave up

A bid to depose Tina Salisbury as deputy mayor has fallen over after Councillor Kelvin Clout withdrew his backing.

And, in doing so, he may have cost himself the opportunity to be a third-time deputy mayor of Tauranga, the Bay of Plenty Times can reveal.

Clout was one of six councillors who signed a letter of requisition seeking a meeting on June 25 to remove Salisbury and fill the position via a vote of the council.

The letter was sent on June 2, the day Salisbury was appointed as deputy after Larry Baldock resigned the role, avoiding a vote to force him out initiated by the same six councillors.

They were Steve Morris, Dawn Kiddie, John Robson, Bill Grainger, Andrew Hollis and Clout.

On Friday, Clout announced he was withdrawing his signature from the letter to remove Salisbury, meaning it lost the necessary majority support and effectively fell over.

Clout said yesterday it was a "tough" call but he felt Salisbury would make a good deputy mayor and, in his view, the council's internal clashes were becoming a drawn-out "massive distraction" from dealing with other issues.

"For the sake of the city, we needed to put this to bed sooner rather than later."

Asked if he was under pressure to change his position, he said a lot of people were feeling uncomfortable with how the council was operating, and the uncertainty.

"There was a feeling this was not good for council's ability to help move the city forward and I just felt it was time to put a stake in the ground."

He said, in his opinion, the issue was the lack of engagement with councillors in the appointment process, and not Salisbury herself.

Tina Salisbury will stay on as Tauranga's deputy mayor. Photo / File

Three councillors told the Bay of Plenty Times that Clout, along with Robson and Salisbury, were the names most bandied about as nominees had the deputy mayor position come to a vote.

Clout has served as deputy to the last two mayors, Greg Brownless and Stuart Crosby, and has run for mayor three times.

"I was aware that if I put my hand up ... I likely would have had the numbers," he said of the potential nomination.

"I asked myself, 'Do I want to be the perennial deputy mayor of Tauranga? And the answer is no'."

He still aspired to be mayor one day.

Tauranga City councillor Kelvin Clout. Photo / File

Serving as councillor rather than deputy this term had been "an adjustment".

"By nature, I want to support the mayor and his vision for the city and that's what I normally do.

"It has been an adjustment for me to exercise my own independent thinking and decision-making."

He always made decisions based on "what I think is right for the city", he said.

Clout said he was a "centrist" who was often in the impactful swing vote position between opposing factions of the council.

"It can feel uncomfortable at times, but I also hope I can be a person who can create a bridge."

He believed Salisbury deserved a chance to prove herself in the deputy role, and that she had the right skills for it.

Kelvin Clout in a Tauranga City Council meeting last year. Photo / File

Councillors Hollis, Morris and Kiddie said they were "disappointed" by Clout's move to withdraw his signature and support for a "democratic" process to appoint a deputy.

Morris said Clout was given plenty of opportunities not to sign if he was not 100 per cent on board.

In response, Clout said he signed to protest the perceived lack of engagement but had always reserved the right to back Salisbury for deputy.

Hollis said councillors may be inclined to hold Salisbury to "stronger account", with less of an adjustment period, as an appointed rather than elected deputy.

Salisbury said Clout's move came as a relief.

She said she took the letter as a criticism of the appointment process, not of herself. Given it was sent the day she was appointed, it could hardly be a dig at her performance.

While this was not the way she would have liked to assume the deputy role - "It was a bit of a hospital pass" - she believed she had the skills to do the job, as well as good relationships with her colleagues and community.

She hoped her colleagues would "give me a chance".

Mayor Tenby Powell was pleased with Clout's decision.

"[It] shows an open mind to giving Tina an opportunity to prove herself as deputy mayor and, importantly, for Tina and I together to lead council positively."

He said the council was in a "period of major cultural change" and some turmoil was to be expected.

He said there was "no question" the community would see a more aligned council team from now on.

"We will get through this and work together better for the city."

Remuneration, committee roles to be addressed

Three issues raised by a majority of councillors in letters that also sought to depose two deputy mayors will be addressed in a council meeting today.

The issues are how elected members are paid and the appointments of councillors to leadership roles in council standing committees and Smartgrowth.

The majority wanted the remuneration schedule and appointments to be confirmed or altered, according to the letters, and council staff have recommended the council vote on whether or not to make changes.

Some councillors have said they want to see the remuneration schedule flattened out so there is not such a big gap between the base rate and what councillors with extra responsibilities earn.