‘Shooting from the lip', is how Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby describes Citizens Advocacy Tauranga's (CAT) critique of his mayoralty and the council's ability to govern.
CAT spokesman Leo Mangos says the recent publicity about Councillor Mike Baker refusing to sit in the councillors' lounge with Hayden Evans is proof of an inability to govern.

Stuart Crosby.

'It's not a good look for the city I agree with him on that,” says Stuart.
'Hayden was elected by the people and he needs to take responsibility for his own actions.”
'Myself, and a number of councillors have attempted to work with Councillor Evans in terms of his image.”
'The deputy mayor, others and I have tried to impress upon him a better attitude and behaviour towards members of the public, staff and others. We have been working behind the scenes on these issues.”
Stuart says he does not want Hayden to leave the council; he just wants him to be a better councillor.
Of the other issues raised by CAT, Stuart categorically rejects the claim that council has done nothing to manage the city's debt.
Saying the issue will impinge upon economic opportunities takes it right out of context says Stuart.
He says it was not a concern to members of the New Zealand Chemical Industry Council when he recently spoke to them about Tauranga as a place to invest.
The council has taken more than $300 million in spending out of the ten year plan, and reduced costs by more than $100 million over the same period.
'He's completely wrong on the southern pipeline. He needs to learn about it first.”
'The comparison of the $44 million Tauranga Indoor Sports Centre with a larger Hamilton centre, Leo says costs $8 million is also wrong,” says Stuart.
'My understanding is that its $68 million, so he's got that wrong.
He should come and see us and get his facts right before he comments.”