The Gore District Council has rejected a second petition calling for its chief executive to go.

Stephen Parry initially announced his resignation as the council's chief executive in September, but last month a majority of councillors appointed him to an interim role.

Parry and the council's young mayor, Ben Bell, have butted heads since the 24-year-old won the mayoral chains at last year's local elections.

A petition signed by 295 Gore residents calling for the council to revoke its decision to appoint Parry as interim chief executive, was to be presented to the council by organiser Hayden McIntyre.

However, the council first voted to prevent him speaking at the meeting and then to reject the petition altogether.

Tim Brown, Otago-Southland Reporter

Reproduced with permission