A Marlborough district councillor has been censured for leaking confidential information to the media.
Mayor Alistair Sowman said the council had spent $18,500 seeking a legal opinion on the matter, but he declined to say what information was leaked.
He said the information did not relate to a particular committee, and that it occurred "over a period of time" and "across a number of issues".
Mr Sowman said legal steps were taken over the leak and the manner in which a councillor spoke about a staff member at a council meeting, but he believed it was the result of naivety rather than malice.
He said the action was not taken lightly, but it was done to send a message that poor conduct would not be tolerated.
Mr Sowman said the Councillor Code of Conduct "had no teeth" and was not the right tool under the circumstances.
Mr Sowman said councillors often received sensitive information and while much of the council's business was conducted openly, there were times when confidentiality was required.
"Commercially sensitive decisions required discussion in private as did issues of personal privacy of individuals. Failing to respect these rules breaks down trust and in some situations, opens the way to legal action.
"It was unacceptable for a councillor to comment on confidential information leaked by somebody else. Such comment compounded the leak and could make the situation worse," Mr Sowman said.
He said legal report also sent a clear message to councillors about their responsibilities as a good employer.
"We found ourselves in a position where an elected councillor attacked the integrity of a staff member who was unable to defend himself," Mr Sowman said.
He said said the councillor had now apologised for their actions.
