Toronto Mayor Rob Ford speaks during council at City Hall in Toronto November 14, 2013. Ford responded allegations about him making sexual comments about a female staffer that she and Ford deny according to local media. Embattled mayor Ford, under pressure to quit after he admitted smoking crack cocaine and buying illegal drugs, vowed on Thursday to sue former aides that he said had lied about his behavior. Police documents released on Wednesday quoted Ford associates as alleging the mayor had driven drunk, used racially abusive language, threatened staff, consorted with a woman suspected of being a prostitute and made obscene sexual suggestions to a female member of his staff. None of the allegations have been proved in court. REUTERS/Mark Blinch (CANADA - Tags: CRIME LAW POLITICS DRUGS SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford was stripped of some key mayoral powers on Friday and he is already threatening to take the decision to court.

City council voted 39-3 in favour of limiting the mayor's ability to hire and fire his deputy mayor and comittee chairs in a bid to bring some certainty to the spiraling chaos ongoing at city hall.

Those authorities are shifted to Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly and standing committee chairs for the balance of Ford's term in office.

Ford has shown a tendency of firing members of his executive committee who speak out against him during the ongoing substance abuse controversy.

"I have no other options than to challenge this in court," Ford said, before claiming council was wasting tax dollars by forcing the city into a legal challenge.

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Ford went on to say he had no intention of removing any member of his executive committee, which includes Coun. Denzil Minnan-Wong - who led a charge to urge Ford step down and seek treatment.

But Ford has shown a tendency to punish those who go against him. Coun. Jaye Robinson was booted from the committee in June after speaking out about Ford's substance abuse issues.

Coun. Paul Ainslie resigned from the committee in October before Ford could fire him after the two clashed over Ford's personal life.