People’s Choice elected members are being accused of putting politics ahead of the needs of the Linwood-Central-Heathcote Community Board.

Elected members of the Labour affiliated group wrote to Christchurch City Council Chief Executive Dawn Baxendale on Friday wanting to remove current board chair Alexandra Davids.

In an email response sent today, a council staff member advised that “the board will consider the “removal of its Chairperson on 30 November.”

It follows the recent by-election, which resulted in People’s Choice candidate Sunita Gautam being elected with 958 votes.

Davids was deputy chairwoman of the board before being elected by the board to replace the late Sally Buck in April.

Davids sits on Local Government New Zealand’s Young Elected Members Committee.

She said she’s disappointed. “This was not unexpected due to the result of the by-election, but this doesn’t make it any easier.”

She received a “courtesy” phone call the day after the new board member was sworn in saying a letter would be sent to the CE asking for a change of chair.

“I do however feel very humbled by the huge swell of support I have had since this information has come to light. Many members of the community, councillors, members of other boards and even some members of People’s Choice outside of our board have offered their support which has honestly kept me on my feet and continuing to do the job even though it’s been a tough week.”

”Whatever the outcome. I will continue to work ethically, morally and to the best of my best ability for our communities and the rate payer. I believe there are better things we could be spending time and our cities money on especially when we are living in such uncertain times.”

People’s Choice Councillor Jake McLellan said “there has been a Community Board by-election recently which has changed the composition of the Board and as such it’s appropriate that the Board discuss leadership in light of this change.”

He said he won’t comment any further “out of respect for my colleagues, until we’ve had an opportunity to meet face-to-face and discuss these matters.”

However, left leaning independent Councillor Sara Templeton who is on the Linwood-Central-Heathcote Board, said she was “really disappointed that people are playing politics instead of acting in the best interests of the communities that we are elected to represent and I am in full support of Alex remaining as our chair.”

Templeton said “Alex is an excellent chair and her skillset has seen her not only chair the board well since Sally stood down, but also represent Community Boards across the country at a national level, and chair Keep New Zealand Beautiful.”

She said “having represented the whole board area when she was elected to the Hagley Ferrymead Community Board in 2013, she knows the communities across the board area well and can represent their interests to Council.”

Templeton said “I really value her positive and constructive approach to her work on the board and the huge time commitment she makes on our behalf – especially considering she has had no deputy chair.”

Linwood-Central-Heathcote Community Board member (Independent) Darrell Latham is also supportive of Alexandra Davids.

“I do not support the proposal to replace the Board chair, and I am really struggling to understand the rational for this proposal.”

Mr Lathem said “from my perspective there is no issue of competency with the current Board Chairperson and there is no reason apart from partisan politics., as to why such a proposal is being advanced.”

Linwood-Central-Heathcote Community Board member Dr Tim Lindley said “as the person who nominated Alex for chair, I will comment that I have been fully satisfied with her performance as chair of our board, and to my mind she is performing to or even above the expectations I had when I nominated her for the position she was elected to.”

People’s Choice Councillor Yani Johanson said the Board held an emergency meeting that was called to change the chair earlier this year. ”I did not agree with the process of using the emergency powers of Covid 19 to have a special meeting and appoint a chair prior to a by-election being held.”

“One of the board members was working as an essential worker at the time and unable to attend due to the timing and the short notice.”

‘“This is not about the current chair, which is why I abstained from that vote rather than vote against.”

”This is about the process used to determine who the chair should be being fair.”

People’s Choice board members Michelle Lomax, Jackie Simons, did not respond to requests for comment. Sunita Guatam has no contact details on the council website.