Wellington Council could soon face govt intervention - Willis

Checkpoint

A shambles that could soon be facing government intervention, that's the Finance Minister's take on Wellington Council. The PM has also confirmed he's keeping a close eye on things and the local government minister Simeon Brown has requested information on options. Things came to a head after a plan that was supported by Mayor Tory Whanau to sell council's 34 percent stake in Wellington Airport was vetoed. The money was to fund development and the insurance gap the city would face if it had to rebuild after a disaster. Now, it's back to the drawing board for a long term plan. But relationships are tense within council - with clashes over a secret deal to buy land under a local cinema, code of conduct violations and allegations of leaks. Wellington Councillor Nicola Young spoke to Lisa Owen.