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Bruce Hucker has resigned from the City Vision ticket he led for nearly 10 years but is refusing to say if he will stand as an independent candidate in October's local body elections.
Dr Hucker, who has been the main voice for the centre-left during 18 years as a city councillor and deputy mayor for six years, yesterday said he would not seek re-election as a City Vision candidate in the Western Bays ward.
In a brief statement, he said: "I have made this decision after careful consideration."
Dr Hucker had no comment to make about his future.
City Vision chairman Robert Gallagher said Dr Hucker had told him he had several options other than being a councillor and would do nothing to damage his former ticket.
"To stand against City Vision would clearly be a breach of that," Mr Gallagher said.
Dr Hucker's decision to sever ties with the centre-left ticket follows a long internal spat within City Vision over his hard line on water charges.
Frustrated colleagues dumped Dr Hucker as City Vision leader on June 13 but agreed he could stay on as deputy mayor until October.
When City Vision released a new water policy and Dr Hucker reiterated his support for the water charges, forecast to rise 124 per cent over 10 years, most of his colleagues asked him to step down as deputy mayor.
However, City Vision - with backing from the Mayor, Dick Hubbard - was unable to get 11 of the 20 votes required to dump Dr Hucker as deputy mayor.
City Vision leaders then asked Dr Hucker to step down as a City Vision candidate or be dumped. He chose to step down.
City Vision councillor Neil Abel said Dr Hucker's refusal to support the ticket's new water policy was the key factor behind his going.
"[Dr Hucker's departure] has restored the credibility of City Vision as the centre-left grouping," Mr Abel said.
Mr Gallagher said City Vision planned to select a replacement for Dr Hucker on Sunday after re-opening nominations in Western Bays.
Dr Hucker served his first term as deputy mayor between 1998 and 2001 under Mayor Christine Fletcher.
