Oh what a tangled web...

Yes Watchers, that sound you can hear is Guyton Street's spin whirring to a halt as the Spin Fairy leaves the building. Long time Mayoral apologist Helen Lawrence apparently didn't receive an apology for allegedly being referred to in exceptionally unpleasant terms by His Worship at a recent senior managers' meeting, and yesterday walked in and cleared her desk.

She wisely chose a Mayorless day to do so, lest she suffer learning first hand what her former employer thinks of people who exhibit any backbone when confronted with unacceptable behaviour.

Mindful that anyone of any age can read LawsWatch, and thus of our self-imposed PG rating, we won't repeat the comment that led to the walkout. Suffice it to say that had it emerged from the tattooed lips of one of the town's notorious bikies in Majestic Square, the rattle of dropped latte cups would have been heard in New Plymouth.

Unfortunately for the Diva, a close personal friend of the Spin Fairy happens to be amongst the senior management team. We don't know what he thought of the comment, but we do know it was passed on to her, and she was understandably not impressed.

Counselled to take some leave and consider her options she apparently did so. We would imagine she also awaited an apology from the author of such potty-mouthedness, but alas she waited in vain.

So yet another outburst from the Mayor - this time very much in his official capacity - is likely to cause strife for Council. If Ms Lawrence does decide her humiliation and lost employment is worth being compensated for and brings in the lawyers, it won't be the first time the Diva's treatment of employees has ended up costing the ordinary person money. His treatment of staffers in the NZ First office when he was left in charge for a few months cost the taxpayer at least one five figure settement - an amount virtually unheard of at the time (and of course Winston went on to wrongfully dismiss another employee all by himself, but managed to avoid socking the taxpayer with the bill that time. We can only wonder what the Diva did to warrant such a large payout). Any settlement over this incident would come not from the Mayor but from Council - which means you, dear ratepayer.

And if she (or any other witness to the comment) wanted to, they could bring a fresh Code of Conduct Complaint. Even given the fact that Dotty has taken mindless sycophancy to new heights, we can't see how she'd help him wriggle out of this one.

And the fallout doesn't stop there. A senior manager now has, we imagine, divided loyalties. And Council has lost the services of someone who was very good - in fact far too good - at her job.

Lawrence was a former private secretary to a Cabinet Minister and was Land Information NZ communications co-ordinator when lured away by the Diva just over a year ago (late February 2005, to be exact), who said at the time:

We are very lucky to have her. Helen is widely regarded in Wellington and it is fantastic that her lifestyle decision to relocate to Wanganui has coincided with this vacancy. She will play a key management role in improving council communications – both internal and external.

She certainly kept her part of the bargain - the spin coming from Guyton Street was insistent and often impenetrable. Albeit aided and abetted by a press that is either lacklustre (yes, we're talking about you again, Mr Maslin) or fawning (and ears must be burning at the RCP about now) Ms Lawrence did a sterling job of keeping the Mayor's - and often only the Mayor's - opinions in front of the public. Unfortunately for the Diva, the internal communication system worked a little too well.

Who will replace her we wonder? Our pick: watch for the return of Antoinette Beck, the only employee not to have parted with the Diva on bad terms.

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