Cr Bill Faulkner Faulkners Corner www.sunlive.co.nz

Council has finished hearing submissions to its proposed annual plan and will deliberate verbal and written submissions until the end of May. As noted last week, there is a surprising amount of incorrect information aired. Some of it seems straight off the TV soaps and from people who seem to follow council business and should have a more accurate picture.

For example, last week I was fascinated to learn that I was:

1. An ex-IRD employee.

2. Owner of Faulkner Pharmacy.

3. An ACT party member.

Apologies to all those organisations and I hasten to add that none of this is true, but it was stated with great authority as factual.

Revo-what?

Council heard about the $90 million ultra fast broadband being put into Tauranga by a private company. To the technologically challenged (like me) it has to do the same job as your copper phone line connection except by fibre optic cable. It will carry your phone, broadband and cable TV. This will do away with the Sky dish. The company told me 'a revolution in communications is coming”.

Field of dreams

Tauranga Hockey Association told us its artificial surfaces will have had-it by this season's end and are expecting council to replace it at around $1.5/$2 million. I'll look into it, but my recollection is that they were to allow for replacement in their fees when council paid for the original facility about 18 years ago. Sport is under pressure in Tauranga and it is apparent council is not in a position to keep on creating and maintaining sports fields on demand – in time probably, but not immediately.

Consultation key

Tauranga Moana Maori collective has submitted objection to the council's proposal to transfer ownership of 11 Mission Street and the council share of 7 Mission Street to the Elms Trust. It was a surprising tack for them to take as I would have thought the historical/cultural aspect of the Elms/Mission House would be far better cared for by the Elms Trust. Plus, that was the reason for the property purchase – to establish preservation for posterity and prevent commercial development.

Responding to questions from elected members, we were told the objection revolved around a lack of consultation with local iwi. Their association with the area pre-dates European settlement and the area was the site of a large pa.

Looking long term

At council the next day we were straight into the Ten Year Plan, plan. This is where elected members give broad brush direction for how the plan should be shaped by staff. It was music to my ears. At last, from all elected members a goal of frugality, priorities re-assessed and something I have long sought – a monetary limit within which council will set works to be done each year. Formerly council decided what works it wanted, added up the bill, found it too expensive and then tried to cut back and failed. This went on too long and now it's time to refocus. Unfortunately this will mean drastic action, unpalatable to some people, but necessary decisions. Some of you will be dreadfully upset and for that there need be no apology if council is to control finances. And it will have to be across the board with no exceptions. All it takes on any one issue is for six elected members to keep tummy muscles tight and vote with their heads, not their hearts.

Needs not wants

You have told council by majority and government has said via the Shand Report (co authored by art gallery chairman Graham Horsley) that rates increases are unsustainable into the future. Development contributions are in the same boat and as someone said: ‘past council decisions were never driven by financial consideration'.

To which I would add ‘past council's majority decisions' as rarely was spending on other than basic infrastructure passed unanimously. For me, less is more.

Spend less on non essentials so there is more money for basic infrastructure. Like the stormwater problem at Nature Place off Marshall Ave at Barkes Corner at Greerton.

A problem going on for years while successive councils prioritised the likes of Baywave art gallery etc. Now council is facing an expensive permanent fix after the section slipped away due to stormwater.

During these discussions, acting chief executive Christine Jones referred to the inadequacies of council's financial systems in the past.

I reminded her of mine and David Stewart's claim in the early 2000s of there being a ‘black hole' budget where all ratepayer money got swallowed up and it was difficult to compare and find out how and why and where it went.

Tellingly, Christine replied with a wry smile – ‘well, dark grey anyway'.

By the way, Christine has done a superb job in the role of acting chief executive.

Gallery go-ahead

The art gallery statement of intent was approved with one amendment moved by Catherine Stewart that the inflation adjustment withdrawal to their annual ratepayer funded annual gratuity of $847,400 be extended out to three years. This was passed 6/5. It was a bit of creative accounting on the gallery's part when they sought to adjust their ratepayer subsidy when the inflation adjustment was to recommence from the $847,400 and start at some $900,000 – the figure they would have received if there had been annual CPI adjustments. The withdrawal of the inflation adjustment was the art gallery acknowledgement of council/ratepayer financial plight.

This week's mindbender with apologies to Brian. ‘Editor: A person employed by a newspaper whose business it is to separate the wheat from the chaff and see that the chaff is printed' – from Elbert Hubbard, but might apply elsewhere!