Deputy mayor David Stewart's appointment as a director of Tauranga City Aquatics Ltd is against council policy and was made without council discussion or input into his selection, say councillors who voted against it.
With David Stewart absent, the vote was split with Mayor Stuart Crosby deciding the matter with his casting vote – a move also criticised because the vote was for his own recommendation, and was not supporting any status quo.

In reply to Murray Guy's compliant about the lack of prior discussion Stuart Crosby said the appointment was handled through the council's appointments policy.
'I find this quite bizarre, to me this has come out of the blue,” says Catherine Stewart.
'Council Controlled Organisations are meant to be kept at arm's length. I'm not sure what is trying to be achieved here.”
A supporting argument from Bill Faulkner is that political input on the board of a CCO could provide valuable input in dealing with local government.
Wayne Moultrie said recent events involving another CCO, Tauranga City Venues Ltd, can show how important it is to have council involved in processes. TCVL owns Baypark, and Stuart Crosby is a director.
The appointment of a shareholders' representative on the board of commercial companies is well known in business circles.
Councillor Hayden Evans challenged the use of the casting vote, but was told using the vote to support the status quo was a convention.
The resolution was amended to acknowledge the vote breached council policy, but that the policy would not be amended.
David Stewart this year completed a NZ Institute of Directors ‘company director's course' and is a member of the institute.