Rotorua's council has voted to hand most of its powers over to its chief executive while the district battles with the COVID-19 crisis.

Councillors voted unanimously to give "Extended Delegation" to Rotorua Lakes Council chief executive Geoff Williams at an extraordinary council meeting held behind closed doors yesterday.

Geoff now has the power to make decisions on behalf of the council, but must also make "all reasonable endeavours" to consult with councillors before using his new authorities.

"The Chief Executive will exercise any one or all of the Extended Delegations from time to time only after first consulting with the Mayor (or Deputy Mayor) and Chair (or Deputy Chair) of the relevant committee where reasonably practicable and subject to their availability," the council's agenda item stated.

Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick and councillor Reynold Macpherson were both in self-isolation and attended the meeting via video link. Media and the public were excluded from the meeting due to health and safety concerns.

Councillor Sandra Kai Fong says the council is in 'totally uncharted waters” but she's comfortable with the decision as there are many safeguards in place.

'How else can we continue to make sure the day to day operations of the city run smoothly without this in place."

Deputy Mayor Dave Donaldson, who chaired the meeting, mirrored Kai Fong's comments and said unless central government changed legislation to allow councillors to meet remotely via video link the council would not be able to meet in person until the country had come out of Alert Level 4.

"I have no doubt Geoff [Williams] will have no trouble getting in touch with us anyway."

According to the agenda, "Council will not be able to meet until Alert Level 4 is lifted in at least four weeks' time (or later, depending on the public health situation at that time). There is however a possibility that central government will make use of the provisions of the Epidemic Preparedness Act 2006, which would allow the Governor-General to issue an Order in Council modifying restrictions and requirements of legislation (such as the Local Government Act).

"Under the Epidemic Preparedness Act, it is therefore possible that central government will use this mechanism to modify the quorum requirements in the Local Government Act, which may, in turn, allow Council to count remote participation for quorum purposes and make decisions through remote Council meetings.

"Unless and until that happens, however, the Extended Delegations will be required. Staff understand that these restrictions are on central government's radar, however there has been no indication that steps will be taken," the agenda states.