A prank involving a knife has led to the Hurunui district getting a new deputy mayor.
Vince Daly will step into the role after Jason Fletcher was asked to resign by the current Mayor.
Fletcher, a volunteer firefighter, was investigated by Fire and Emergency last year for a prank where he cut a fellow firefighter's shirt with a knife.
He was asked by Hurunui Mayor Marie Black to stand down from his position as deputy mayor - but instead chose to resign from the council as a whole.
He has stood down as deputy mayor, councillor for the West Ward and from the Hanmer Springs Community Board.
Black said she was "disappointed" by his decision but there are bigger issues at hand.
“We have some major issues to focus on at present – most notably COVID-19 and its impact on our district," she said in a press statement last week.
"That’s where our attention needs to be rather than answering questions over the Deputy Mayor’s conduct."
Incumbent deputy mayor Daly says he will do his best to support the mayor and his fellow councillors.
A by-election will be held to find a new councillor to replace Fletcher.
