Staff to stay in quake-risk council building

11:12 am on 2 April 2017

Horowhenua's mayor is demanding to know why it has taken so long to determine if the district council's building is an earthquake risk.

Horowhenua's new mayor, Michael Feyen, is refusing to enter the council building because of his concerns about its structural integrity.

The Horowhenua council building has been found to be an earthquake risk by normal office building standards. Photo: Google Maps / Screenshot

A new engineer's report rates parts of the building as earthquake-prone when measured against the higher standard that a Civil Defence centre has to meet - and also as an earthquake risk when measured by normal office building standards.

The report said the building was sound, but that it also needs a substantial seismic upgrade.

Mayor Michael Feyen said he was not happy his staff would have to work there until a review of the latest report, which he commissioned, comes up with a clear overall rating.

"The nub of it all is I believe there needs to be a full inquiry over the whole process, because you've got to remember it's been to a national level."

"My thing is - what the hell is there to hide?"