Page 25 - Lee Vandervis News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

'Beware the mongrel mayor': Dunedin councillor Lee Vandervis uses blog to vent about colleagues 20 Jan, 2021 06:34 PM 3 minutes to read Dunedin city councillor Lee Vandervis. Photo / ODT Otago Daily Times "Beware the mongrel Mayor" and other disparaging comments about his colleagues may not land Dunedin city councillor Lee Vandervis in hot water. In a lengthy blog that borrows from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy comedic science fiction series, Cr Vandervis adapts the allegory to opine on city council staff "intent on destroying City Life as we know it" and the failings of elected repres...

In-house fighting costs ratepayers thousands of dollars in investigations 11 Jan, 2021 01:10 AM 6 minutes to read Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins said the code of conduct was the only tool available to them to investigate bad behaviour by elected members. Photo / ODT Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins said the code of conduct was the only tool available to them to investigate bad behaviour by elected members. Photo / ODT Herald reporter based in HamiltonNikki.Preston@nzme.co.nz In-house fighting, naughty words or bad behaviour, ignoring privacy rules or simply rubbing their council colleagues the wrong ...

Dunedin city councillor's legal battle over parking ticket fails 21 Dec, 2020 02:48 AM 3 minutes to read Otago Daily Times Controversial Dunedin City councillor Lee Vandervis has failed in his legal battle which stemmed from a $12 parking ticket. But the outspoken veteran representative says he is already considering an appeal of Justice David Gendall's decision to dismiss his application for judicial review. On September 13, Vandervis' vehicle was ticketed for exceeding the half-hour time limit where he had parked. "That relatively innocuous event was the catalyst for what followed," the jud...

Vandervis’ lawyer questioned the legitimacy of the Code of Conduct, and aspects of the investigation by Benham. Hamish McNeilly/Stuff Vandervis claimed a 30-minute parking restriction sign was not visible from the footpath. Gendall rejected those claims, noting Vandervis had been advised via email in October 2018 about a list of investigators for code of conduct matters, but seemingly lodged no objections. He also found the former chief executive, Dr Sue Bidrose, handled the complaint correctly. Gendall also found that Benham “generally took appropriate steps and carried out his full ...