A Christchurch City councillor allegedly sent three young people "grossly inappropriate" social media messages, including a sexually explicit meme.

Stuff reported on Friday the council was investigating after a youth group made the formal complaint on behalf of the teenagers to the council's acting chief executive Mary Richardson on September 4.

The councillor, who is standing again in this year's elections, has not responded to repeated requests for comment.

Since then a number of councillors, who Stuff has not named them for legal reasons, have come forward to say they are not the person under investigation. They said they weren't aware of any complaints or the council investigation until Friday.

Richardson, who did not name the councillor, said she first heard about the allegations on July 31 but at that stage no details or evidence was provided.

RNZ reports one of the complainants referred to a single event and two talked about multiple interactions with the councillor over a three-year period.
All three were aged between 13 and 21 at the time.

They claim the councillor engaged in late-night messaging on social media on numerous occasions that was "grossly inappropriate", RNZ reports.

It included references to the physical attractiveness of one of the young people, statements such as "I miss you" and "I want a hug" and emojis with love heart eyes.

There was also a sexually explicit meme, RNZ reports.

It was claimed the interactions with the young people were not just on social media and involved the councillor insisting on hugs in the place of handshakes offered by the young people.

It was said the councillor had a nickname for one of the young people that made them feel uncomfortable.

RNZ is also reporting mayor Lianne Dalziel was made aware of a complaint against the councillor in May of this year involving a young teenager. It says when further claims were brought to her attention in June, including those involving two more young people, she passed the matter on to Richardson to deal with.

Stuff has contacted Dalziel for comment. She did not respond to requests from comment on Friday.

Richardson told Stuff on Friday she immediately asked for a meeting to be set up with the complainants.

"I also implemented a number of actions which were discussed with the complainants' representatives who endorsed these."

After the formal complaint on September 4, she immediately acknowledged receipt of the complaint and responded in writing on September 11, she said.

"On both occasions I reiterated the need for a meeting to be set up with the complainants and said I would make myself available at any time and at any place."

A representative of the complainants arranged the meeting and it took place on the evening of September 17.

"As a result of this meeting, it has been decided to appoint an independent person to do a preliminary assessment to determine whether a full investigation is warranted," Richardson said.

She had kept the councillor informed and "in fairness to everyone involved" would not be making further comment while the complaint was being assessed.

The youth group confirmed to Stuff that it was supporting the teenagers, but would not be commenting until speaking to the complainants and their families.

Stuff has chosen not to identify the youth group after being advised this could lead to the identification of the young people involved.