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The billboard and signs hearings at Auckland City Council got off to a dramatic start today when a member of the six-strong panel resigned.
The council is considering plans to ban billboards and restrict signage across the central city and suburbs.
But Citizens & Ratepayers Now member Graeme Mulholland announced today that he was pulling out of the hearings because he could not work alongside City Vision councillor Glenda Fryer, who is in favour of a ban.
Mr Mulholland said he believed there had been "prejudgement" on the part of Ms Fryer, who has been under fire from the billboards industry over her role as chairwoman of the panel.
Last week, the council announced that Ms Fryer would chair the signs bylaw panel and Labour councillor Richard Northey Would chair the billboard bylaw panel.
Mr Mulholland said this separation did not go far enough.
"I believe she has made unwise statements prior to the hearing which could be prejudicial to process," Mr Mulholland told journalists.
The hearings started without Mr Mulholland and are due to run for nine days.
