Rotorua Lakes councillor Glenys Searancke has been stripped of her creative portfolio responsibilities.

Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick and councillors Glenys Searancke, Merepeka Raukawa-Tait and Rob Kent met earlier today, a council statement says.

Rotorua Lakes councillor Glenys Searancke. Photo: Supplied.

At that meeting Steve asked Glenys to consider her position around the creative portfolio lead given a conflict of interest as chair of the Rotorua District Residents and Ratepayers Society.

Glenys says she saw no conflict of interest and would not stand down.

Steve says she therefore had no choice but to change the Creative Portfolio lead.

'I am supported by other portfolio leads, the deputy mayor and senior councillors,” she says.

'I appreciate Glenys' years of community service and commitment to Rotorua and acknowledge what she has done for the district,” Steve says. 'This decision has nothing to do with that. In my view, and in the view of a number of people, there is a conflict of interest.

'Given Glenys wants to retain her role with the Rotorua District Residents and Ratepayers Society, then there is a conflict and I had no choice.”