Brian Anderson The Western Front www.sunlive.co.nz

Most of your responses to the questions I posed last week for a report on council have been by telephone or in conversation. Some have been polite.

What the council has done well has drawn very few responses. What the council could do better has drawn a number of general responses, but most don't seem to be aware of what the council is actually doing.

What the council has to do urgently has prompted the most colourful answers. I did ask that individuals should not be mentioned and that suggestions should concentrate on topics, projects and priorities. If we replaced the whole council and its staff the current $3400 debt per person remains and the new council would still need five years and rate increases to clear the books.

Where are they now?

As with the submissions to recent plans, many of the responses have referred to individual arguments with council. The council likes keeping the squeaking bearings oiled, making place centred decisions, while hiding big issues and major decisions. Now is the time to open the books and stop chatting up small groups for good press releases. Indications are that spending has been cut, but not by enough. Some projects are still being pursued and policies have been adopted for projects that may never start for years. Other decisions have been confirmed or future-proofed in anticipation of an open cheque some time in the future. Some staff have been released, but it appears more will have to go.

What is council's current strategy?

Decisions are being confirmed in confidential workshop sessions in contravention of standing orders. The arrogance of Nil Carborundum a year or two back now seems to have been replaced by Rectum Defendere. Basically, the people of the Western Bay are a genial and tolerant lot and are willing to let hard working councillors do their best, but many are becoming very disgruntled.
No one wants to have to challenge council, but we do need some genuine communication. Tauranga City councillors regularly answer questions in the ‘Letters to the Editor' of the local paper, but Western Bay councillors never do. I am keen to hear their contributions outlining council successes. How will we know how good they are unless they tell us?

If no one knows the good things council has achieved, where they are coming from or what they are trying to do, all that is left is unhealthy conjecture and suspicion. Now is the time for council to come clean, stop making silly promises and not wait until the election where the necessary self promotion of candidates tends to obscure and limit reasoned debate.

I am collecting your suggestions up until September 15, phone 07 549 2962, email [email protected] or post to 14 Gray St Katikati 3129 or comment on this blog.