The 7-5 vote of confidence in her leadership included her vote for herself. She said she had taken legal advice and was told she was able to vote.
Ms Timms earned the unanimous disapproval of her colleagues last month when she telephoned Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt on a regional television talk-back show and posed as Ruby, a mother of two whose husband had been made redundant from the Tiwai Point smelter.
The five councillors who wanted her to go spoke of her lack of remorse over the incident, how she had destroyed her credibility, how it would be difficult for the public and councillors to trust her from now on, and that if she stayed she would be trying to lead a divided council.
Several called on her two resign willingly before the vote was taken.
Others said they did not condone her actions but one mistake had to be balanced against the good work she had done in her two years as chairwoman.
Ms Timms, who spoke last, apologised for the telephone call, saying she regretted her "stupid'' and "dumb'' actions and could assure people
there would be no repeat.
However, she said she had no intention of resigning.
"I'm not a quitter. I'm not going anywhere,'' she said.
- Alison Rudd