Councillor Larry Baldock's use of a notice of motion to have council introduce more ways of opening discussion between the council and the community drew fire from some councillors yesterday – because meeting rules prevent councillors from discussing and altering the motion.

Larry's motion that council rates notices and water bills to be used to poll residents on issues, passed with the majority of councillors agreeing to try additional avenues of communication with the electorate.

Staff will prepare surveys for consultation with residents and ratepayers and the survey questions will be mailed out with rates demands and water invoices.

Surveys will also be available through email.

Councillor Steve Morris's objected to the unchangeable list of topics, and the fact that as they were contained in a notice of motion, they could not be debated, or altered.

Topics are: Changes to Easter trading laws, a review of the wards and at large candidates structure, the policy regarding the number of gambling machines permitted in the city, the local alcohol policy, policies in regard to street trees, and protected trees on public land.

Steve's complaint that the list was only of things that councillors wanted to talk about was confirmed in the vote, when no one supported adding the trees question to the list.

Steve says the list means the public will be polled only on subjects that councillors want to talk to the public about.

A question Larry doesn't want to ask the public, is what are the electorate's thoughts on the appointment of non-elected people to council committees, says Steve.

'We can't ask that because the community might say no,” says Steve.

Councillors voted in favour of the motion with Gail McIntosh opposed.