Wellington Mayor Andrew Little has spoken out about what led to Ray Chung’s resignation from his chairman role, revealing he lost confidence in the controversial councillor.

It is despite Little previously refusing to speak about the incident, in which police raised concerns about Chung’s conduct over his involvement in an unauthorised search and rescue mission for a missing man during the recent state of emergency.

Karori man Philip Sutton was reported missing after flash flooding destroyed his home on April 21, and his body was found two days later.

Despite conditions being deemed too unsafe to continue active search efforts the day after the floods, Chung became involved in a group of volunteers organising a search and turned up at the site.

In a statement sent from the mayor’s office last week, Chung said he had “decided to stand down from this sub-committee to focus my attention on constituents within my ward”.

The Herald revealed the resignation was linked to a disciplinary process initiated by the mayor, after police called him with concerns about Chung’s conduct towards the officer in charge of the search for Sutton, and in turning up to a location alleged on social media to be connected with the case.

Asked in an interview on Monday what Chung’s alleged conduct towards the officer was, Little said “it’s more about the fact that he chose to involve himself in an enterprise that was ill-judged in the circumstances”.

“Police raised with me their concern about what they described as inappropriate contact, so that was what the issue was, I think it was the fact that Ray spoke with the head of the search and rescue unit,” Little said.

Ray Chung rejects claims he interfered with the police search operation for a missing Wellington man, saying he turned up to tell volunteers to go home. Photo / Mark Mitchell

“I’d expressed a lack of confidence in him because of that.”

The outcome was that Chung resigned his chairperson’s role, he said.

Asked if that meant he would have sacked Chung as chairman over the matter, Little said “we never got to that point”.

Little said he simply “didn’t believe some of the responses” Chung was giving when questioned about the situation.

Chung disputes the allegations against him and said he was only in the area to tell volunteer searchers to go home, rather than search himself, despite earlier telling the Herald he was searching.

He did not respond to requests for comment about Little having expressed no confidence in him as chairman.

The under-fire councillor also called in a lawyer over the situation.

The mayor’s decision to appoint Chung to lead the subcommittee sparked backlash at the time, with members of the public launching a campaign urging him to reconsider.

Little on Monday said he did not regret appointing Chung, saying the appointments to council leadership roles are a balancing act, and it is important a “variety of views” are represented.

“But in the end, people have to perform in the role and people’s conduct has to come up to measure, and if it doesn’t then there’s got to be consequences,” he said.

“And the consequence of this is now having raised concerns about Ray, he has resigned the role and I think that’s probably the right thing.”

Ethan Manera is a Wellington-based journalist covering Wellington issues, local politics and business in the capital. He can be emailed at [email protected].