Re: ‘Spending for the sake of it' (The Weekend Sun, May 5).

Councillor Steve Morris' response to my letter is intriguing if not endeavouring to still defend the indefensible.

Along with obviously the support of council staff, he is presenting a smoke and mirrors concept to defend the redevelopment of an existing area, being the Phoenix carpark, which does not need to be redeveloped and is opposed by the bulk of people and retail businesses.

In response to his statement that I did not suggest that the council should stop collecting consent funds if they could not spend them, I would like to remind him that when I was elected in October 2007 there was little or no growth occurring in Tauranga.

Then within a year the Global Financial Crisis occurred, stopping growth in its path and resulting in virtually no fees being collected whatsoever.

However since Cr Morris has been elected rapid growth has occurred along with fees collected and now his outcome is basically to spend the fees collected on something that does not need fixing.

If one supports the ward electoral system maybe the Mount requires representation that actually lives in the Mount rather than residing in Papamoa as both Mount Ward councillors currently do.

M Baker, Bethlehem.