Hamilton Mayor Graeme Outerbridge is facing a revolt by disgruntled councillors who claim he is failing to lead the Corporation effectively.

And Alderman Carlton Simmons has warned that steps could be taken to sabotage the day-to-day running of the municipality unless Mayor Outerbridge can “man up and be a leader”.

Mr Simmons spoke to The Royal Gazette after it was revealed that a number of resolutions passed by the Corporation’s nine-man elected council had not been put into force.

Last week councillors agreed by a majority vote to suspend the municipality’s Chief Engineer, Patrick Cooper, while an investigation into allegations of misconduct against him was carried out. But no official notification of the suspension has been presented and Mr Cooper remains at his post.

The Royal Gazette understands that a similar resolution to suspend Corporation Secretary Ed Benevides was also discussed at last week’s meeting.

Mr Simmons said that a number of other decisions made by the Board — which the Mayor voted in favour of — were never executed because Mr Outerbridge subsequently failed to instruct administrators to carry them out.

“The Mayor needs to be decisive in his actions,” Alderman Simmons said.

“Those resolutions were passed legally and lawfully but it would seem the Mayor thinks he has a right to implement resolutions when he sees fit. His perspective is not the only one that exists. The Mayor needs to man up and stand by these decisions.

“There are nine members who sit on the Board and he has supported these decisions during the meetings, voted in favour of the resolutions, and then it would seem that he doesn’t want to execute those resolutions once they’ve been passed.

“We’ve had to make some tough decisions but they have been made legally and the Mayor can’t now break the law simply for the sake of not wanting to be unpopular. He needs to show more chutzpah and man up and be a leader.

“When a resolution is passed, the Mayor doesn’t have the luxury of deciding when it will be executed. It should be enacted immediately but he hasn’t been doing that and that’s why the Corporation seems to be in disarray — the Mayor won’t stand up to the responsibility of being a leader.

“So steps may need to be taken. It may come to a head real soon. If these things are not resolved then the Budget may not be passed.”

Alderman Simmons’s comments suggest a fresh split within an already divided governing body. The nine members of Team Hamilton were elected into office in May 2012, promising a renewed focus on the city’s residents. But a number of controversial decisions in recent months has seen a rift develop within the group. A majority faction led by Mayor Outerbridge, Deputy Mayor Donal Smith, Alderman Simmons, and councillors George Scott and Keith Davis has been able to pass resolutions despite protests from Alderman Gwyneth Rawlins and councillors Larry Scott and Troy Symonds. Mr Symonds eventually resigned in October in protest at how the council was operating.

Yesterday Mr Simmons suggested that Mayor Outerbridge should either “pick a side” or resign.

“I have supported the Mayor the entire time but I think it is time for him to pick a side,” he said.

“When we were elected we promised to take the Corporation in a different direction, but in order for that to happen, some things must change. Unfortunately nothing has changed because we have a leader who is not prepared to make decisions and take decisive action. I have never seen a ship change direction without its leader changing the direction of the wheel.”

Last night Mr Outerbridge declined to respond to the remarks.

And he insisted that no resolution to suspend Mr Benevides was on the agenda at last week’s meeting, despite claims from a number of councillors that it was.

“I am not going to comment on internal matters,” he said.

“The Alderman can state his own version although this is not helpful. I represent the Corporation of Hamilton as Mayor with all the involved consequences that the position requires. There is no resolution to suspend the Secretary and the Secretary and Engineer continue to go about their professional operational tasks.”