Cr Gerry Eckhoff had earlier complained Mr Woodhead had breached the council's code of conduct governing the relationship of council members with the public; and over the relationship between councillors.
Only two other councillors, Crs Graeme Bell and Doug Brown, voted to support Cr Eckhoff's complaints.
Nine other councillors, including Mr Woodhead, voted against the complaints, when they were discussed during yesterday's council meeting.
The complaints arose over preliminary discussions between Mr Woodhead and Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull late last year over a proposed Dunedin Harbourside development, south of the Steamer Basin.
Cr Eckhoff had contacted the Otago Daily Times to complain Mr Woodhead lacked a mandate from ORC councillors for the talks.
He later also complained about parts of Mr Woodhead's reply to the ODT, in which he had referred to Cr Eckhoff as a ‘‘politician making some noises''.
Cr Brown believed Cr Eckhoff's concerns had some validity.
Cr Bryan Scott said the council was ‘‘pretty fortunate'' to have Mr Woodhead as a leader, but also respected Cr Eckhoff's right to raise concerns.
Cr Michael Deaker supported Mr Woodhead, said the complaints lacked ‘‘much merit'', but noted regional councillors did not meet often and came from different parts of Otago.
‘‘It's very easy for individual members to feel cut off from influence and to feel isolated,'' he said.
Supporting Mr Woodhead, Cr Trevor Kempton said some of Cr Eckhoff's comments to the ODT were ‘‘inflammatory'' and one comment in reply by Mr Woodhead was also ‘‘ill advised''.
Cr Sam Neill said he respected Cr Eckhoff, who was a friend, but restricting Mr Woodhead as suggested would make him a ‘‘castrated chairman''.
The complaints had been a ‘‘waste'' of council time and resources and Cr Neill was ‘‘totally happy'' with Mr Woodhead's leadership.
Cr Eckhoff earlier told councillors he objected to what he termed Mr Woodhead's ‘‘autocratic'' style, including over harbourside discussions.
Mr Woodhead replied yesterday he had acted appropriately throughout, and restricting the ability of councillors to talk, in the way suggested, would ‘‘frustrate the work we all do''.
The ORC had given Mr Bodeker a mandate to talk to the city council over harbourside matters, and Mr Woodhead had accompanied him.
