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Auckland City mayor Dick Hubbard has joined the growing chorus of calls for his deputy Bruce Hucker to resign.
Bruce Hucker is being given more time to resign as deputy mayor of Auckland after his City Vision-Labour caucus gave him a 11am deadline earlier today to step down.
Mr Hubbard said this afternoon that he had no confidence in Dr Hucker and urged him to go.
Dr Hucker told his caucus that he would not agree to their call to resign.
City Vision-Labour issued a demand saying that if he did not go voluntarily by 11am, he would face a vote of no confidence.
But councillors said this afternoon they had received an email from Dr Hucker saying he would not quit.
Councillor Richard Northey said: "I am disappointed because I think it would be in the best interests of the council were he to step down."
Dr Hucker could not be reached for comment.
Mr Hubbard told the Herald: "I believe the responsible course of action would be, faced with the situation that the majority of councillors do not have confidence in him, is to step down and resign.
"It is in appropriate to run the council having a deputy mayor when that deputy mayor does not have the confidence of the majority of councillors."
In a short statement issued today, City Vision-Labour councillors said they "have lost confidence in Bruce in his role as Deputy Mayor and have asked him to step aside".
They propose that Vern Walsh take up the position for the remainder of the council's term.
The action comes after the centre-left ticket released a new water policy last Wednesday promising to stop big rises in water bills.
City Vision said the current policy was not financially sustainable or fair for households.
Less than 24 hours later, Dr Hucker reiterated his support for higher water bills, saying the existing policy was "extremely prudent and extremely sensible".
City Vision chairman Robert Gallagher told the Herald on Friday that Dr Hucker had not stuck with the agreed policy but refused to say what action would be taken against him.
Dr Hucker was dumped as City Vision leader on June 13 over his hardline on water but his colleagues agreed he could stay on as deputy mayor until the October local body elections.
The job of deputy mayor is decided by the full council. Twenty one days notice is required for a vote on the matter.
