Western Bay of Plenty District Council's CEO Tarris threw a lifeline to Omokoroa Future Focus attendees prior to Christmas when suggesting residents go away and consider things we could do without.

Never such a proposition from staff or councillors in 20 years. Clearly, a worthy yet untried approach to the ‘rates must always rise' syndrome infecting us and many New Zealand councils.

Problem is most Western BOP ratepayers were not in attendance and will have no knowledge of this most innovative statement from senior staff in decades.

The errors and huge overspend at Omokoroa, all based on ridiculous growth projections, has left smaller community projects bereft of affordable finance.

Looks like we're set for a confrontation between those residents who want council to at least meet annual interest payments on debt already incurred before spending on other projects and those councillors who justify continual rate increases and won't tolerate cuts to services at any price.

I consider Ms Tarris has already thrown down the gauntlet and council should prepare a list of those non-essentials and give residents a real chance at this new consultation gismo, it being the new catchphrase for 2015.

R Heys, Omokoroa.