Question about conflicts of interest raised
Questions about conflicts of interest were raised when community politicians voted to help fund support of the homeless.
Members of the Manurewa Local Board voted on a resolution at their meeting in June to allocate $17,000 from an underspend of their locally driven initiatives budget to Manurewa Marae for its Whakapiki Ora project.
The marae plans to use its wharenui (meeting house) as a shelter for people who have nowhere to stay.
It also wants to install five Portacoms on its grounds for families to live in while they receive intense support from community providers and Government agencies.
When the local board’s resolution opened for discussion, member Danella McCormick asked exactly who or what the $17,000 would be allocated to.
She also asked whether board chairwoman and Manurewa Action Team leader Angela Dalton had a conflict of interest over the matter as marae board member Rangi McLean is standing for the local board with the Action Team at the Auckland Council elections in October.
‘‘I’m not saying I’m not sup-
porting the cause, I’m just wondering about the process,’’ McCormick said.
Board deputy chairman Simeon Brown said the issue was timely and that he and his colleagues have a responsibility to support their community.
‘‘People are out in that community who are cold and I want to see them warm and having a meal and shelter.’’
Local board relationship manager Rex Hewitt referred to the relevant section of the council’s code of conduct for elected members regarding non-financial conflicts of interest.
Dalton then said she’s ‘‘happy’’ to declare a conflict of interest regarding the resolution.
‘‘Rangi is a colleague and he’s doing good work at the marae,’’ she said.
Brown also declared a conflict of interest, followed by board and Action Team members Angela Cunningham-Marino and Ken Penney.
The resolution to allocate the $17,000 to the marae passed with Dalton, Brown, CunninghamMarino and Penney abstaining from the vote.