Who’s really to blame for Wellington council’s problems?

This is the transcript of “Will’s Words” from October 23:

Now it’s time for Will’s Word…

Wellington City Council is facing difficult times and the recent appointment of a Crown watchdog by the Minister for Local Government shows just how serious the situation has become.

While the mayor applauds this move, we have to ask: who is really to blame—the mayor or the council members?

I would say there are people on the council who are trying to undermine the mayor – and that to me is a real shame.

It’s easy to focus on the mayor, who is often the face of council decisions. But we must remember that the final choice is made by the board members. The council should work as a team, but there are people who I would say are just troublemakers and ego riddled façades.

Therefore, some advisers need to think about their role in this situation. Did they fully understand the consequences of stopping the sale of the airport? Did they make decisions based on a clear vision of the future? It is important that all council members are held accountable for their actions, not just the mayor.

And look, I’m not defending the mayor, she’s had her share of failures in that position, but perhaps the appointment of a Crown monitor should be seen as a chance for the entire council to improve.

This is an opportunity for the council to rethink its approach and focus on making better decisions for the city.

Wellington deserves leadership that not only solves problems, but plans for the future.