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Councillor’s employee set up petition calling for CEO resignation

Rachael Kelly

A petition calling for the resignation of Gore District Council chief executive Stephen Parry was instigated by an employee of a current councillor.

Councillor Joe Stringer confirmed yesterday that he employed Sean Burke, who set up the online petition.

‘‘Yes, I know it doesn’t look good, and I have had a discussion with him about it,’’ Stringer said. ‘‘I wasn’t happy about it. But I can’t tell people what to do in their day-today lives.’’

Stringer is a director of internet provider Yrless, which also employs Gore mayor Ben Bell’s mother, Rebecca Tayler, who was previously embroiled in an employment dispute with the council. He said he was no longer the manager of the business and was not involved in its day-to-day running.

Stringer said he found out about the petition the weekend it went online, and he had not discussed it with Parry because the chief executive had been on leave.

‘‘I probably will at some stage have a chat with him about it, or talk to Richard [councillor Richard McPhail], because he’s working with him.’’

McPhail is working as an intermediary between Parry and Bell after their working relationship broke down.

Both Bell and Parry said it would be inappropriate for them to comment.

Parry returned to work on Tuesday following two weeks’ compassionate leave after his mother-in-law died in Wellington.

He was not at an extraordinary council meeting on Tuesday night, and yesterday the council said he was ‘‘mainly working from home but also spending time in the office. He will return to the office full-time next Tuesday.’’

The petition, which gained nearly 5000 supporters, will be considered by the council at a meeting on June 13.

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2023-06-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

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https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/281479280797160

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