"The door is still open to Cr Simms," Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker said last night.
"It’s good to have time to reflect."
Cr Simms telephoned the new mayor on Saturday, saying he would not accept the deputy portfolio position for economic development.
Ms Barker has proposed she lead the portfolio, and her proposed structure for committees and portfolios is to go before the council for adoption today.
Cr Simms showed no sign yesterday he was headed for a change of heart.
"I’m not going to pretend that I’m happy and go along with things," he said.
Cr Simms again highlighted what he saw as a disparity of workload for the mayor and deputy mayor, compared with the rest of the council.
A lot of work needed to be done in economic development and Ms Barker felt she could lead this portfolio, as well as being the mayor and having chairing responsibilities for two standing committees, he said.
"I just can’t see the sense in some people being completely overloaded while other people are sitting around collecting $100,000 a year and not doing much."
Cr Simms said he believed he could make a greater contribution from outside of the portfolio system.
"I can fully assure the ratepayers of Dunedin that they’ll get their value for money from me."
Ms Barker said she had looked forward to working in partnership with Cr Simms on an economic development strategy.
She and Deputy Mayor Cherry Lucas could manage their responsibilities, she said.
"We are grown-ups and we can balance our workloads," Ms Barker said.
She had had "a lifetime career in economic development and city promotion".
New councillors needed time to learn the ropes, she said.
Ms Barker said she had assigned Cr Simms important responsibilities, such as being part of the audit, risk and assurance committee, the Otago Museum Trust Board and Taieri Airport Trust.
Cr Simms was the top-polling councillor in the election and a close second in the mayoralty contest.
Ms Barker said the election was done and "now it’s time to work together" on what the city needed.
