Invercargill City Councillor Nobby Clark said the deputy mayoralty will be tough and a more time-consuming role than he's used to but one he's prepared to give his all.

Now in his late 60s and working part-time in mail delivery, Cr Clark said he had been considering his retirement, wanting a quieter more peaceful life, but said he's determined to step up now and see the council move forward as a united team.

His mission is to see the council achieve "tangible results" for the city and move past playing petty politics with each other - petty politics which ultimately landed the ICC with an investigation by the Department of Internal Affairs in August.

Advertisement

Advertise on the Southland App

"I know it's going to be hard," he said.

"[But] if I can step up that little bit more, and he [Mayor Tim] does that little bit less, I'm up for that."

Cr Clark was appointed as the new deputy mayor by Mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt on Monday after the current deputy mayor, Toni Biddle, suddenly announced her resignation on Friday (October 9).

Cr Biddle once aspired to be mayor but has been reported by media this week as saying she felt worn out from dealing with "personality politics" in council and having to do a lot of the mayor's job for him.

Cr Clark said he's absolutely up for the role of deputy mayor and if he gets burnt out doing it so be it, but it won't be for want of trying. 

"What I have said is I am prepared to keep this ship going until the next election."

"I know what I'm walking into but at the end of the day it's about us [council] getting to point B, and if I need to play a role that's a little different to other councils or other deputy mayors, so be it, otherwise we [council] will go nowhere."

With two years now till the next election, he said he is going to be laser-focused on doing his best to get results for the community.

"I'm only interested in supporting the whole group to get some tangible results because that's what the community wants."

Getting results in council was hard because "we've still got factions [in council] and personality groups," he said.

Advertisement

Advertise on the Southland App

He said getting the museum pyramid building, Anderson House, Rugby Park, and Invercargill's iconic water tower sorted were all top priorities for the council.

He added that he has no aspirations to become mayor and possibly will not re-run for council in the next election as the job has taken a lot out of him.

"I'm a bit scarred now by this whole process of personalities [in politics]." 

"I have considered retiring...but I am going to hang in there until the next election."

In a statement, the mayor said he chose Cr Clark as his deputy because they work effectively together, and Cr Clark has “significant community support and a desire to cut through red tape and get things done.”

Cr Clark said he agreed with that statement, adding; "I ask the hard questions but that's what being an advocate is.”

"When the deputy mayor resigned, I think I could predict going forward the mayor would want me as his deputy because he needs somebody that he can work with, someone that he trusts."

"If I'm honest, he probably sees me as less of a threat to him as well because a number of senior players within the council have publicly stated that they want to be mayor," he added.

Advertisement

Advertise on the Southland App

Several councillors have also publicly stated this week that the mayor is not fit to do his role and should stand down. 

Cr Clark accepted that Sir Tim Shadbolt was slowing down somewhat in his older age but refused to comment whether that was in a mental capacity. 

"Democracy is democracy, people have voted me in... and they've voted Tim [Shadbolt] in and there's no way of undoing that now until the next election."

Cr Clark will officially become deputy mayor on October 20.