An under-siege Mr Birchfield has been on leave from the council since December, returning only this week to an extraordinary meeting that seeks to remove him from the chairman’s role. The regional council chairperson is selected around the council table, not at large.
His leave of absence at the time was explained as being due to "health reasons".
The formal process to have him replaced as chairman was initiated on March 3, signed by every other councillor. It was not publicly disclosed until minutes before the council meeting on March 14. Mr Birchfield did not know about the move until contacted by the Greymouth Star. He did reveal, however, that council members had previously leaned on him to resign as chairman.
"There had been some discussion — they tried to talk me into standing down but I said no," Mr Birchfield told the Greymouth Star at the time.
However, he said he was definitely not standing down and the move to remove him was "not clear cut."
Acting chairman Peter Haddock said today’s meeting was going ahead.
Chief executive Heather Mabin said the matter was one for the elected council.
As of yesterday she assumed nothing had changed from the formal motion she had received on March 3 to call an extraordinary meeting to remove Mr Birchfield.
"Any decision that was made on the matter has been done in isolation of the executive and the CEO," Ms Mabin said.
"... We will respect whatever the outcome is."
She believed Mr Birchfield had been a significant contributor to the West Coast in his role.
"Allan has contributed incredibly towards this community, and that needs to be acknowledged."
Mr Birchfield’s leave of absence followed a turbulent time for the regional council. This predated his re-election as chairman for a second term last October.
An accusation of conflict of interest emerged almost immediately after the elections about the relationship of Mr Birchfield’s company Birchfield Minerals Ltd to the council-owned business unit VCS Ltd.
This was to do with a deal brokered eight years ago by VCS Ltd on behalf of Birchfield Minerals to reconsent and sell Birchfield’s Grey Valley gold dredge.
The $157,025 cost of that borne by VCS — and only to be repaid when the dredge eventually sold — has remained on the council balance sheet ever since.
Written by Brendon McMahon
