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

One of my callers was very upset. He reported that he had been told by the Council that if he didn't like the reply he had just received from Council that he should consider leaving town. Of course many of my callers are the disaffected, upset with their experiences of Council insensitivity.

Like all deteriorating relationships, the fault is on both sides but does the real problem start with our acceptance of an archaic master servant relationship? Even the current seemingly democratic submission process that is underway this week uses word submission in exactly the same way that it was used and has now disappeared from modern marriage vows. Should the public submission to the Council and its plans follow a similar fate? This month is the small window of opportunity time for public submissions where we are granted a chance to outline all our hopes, desires, aspirations and show our appreciation of a dominant Council who, as everyone knows, is a good husband and has only our best wishes at heart. Councillors always listen attentively but somehow most submitters leave with the same feeling as that of a downtrodden wife who knows that she may as well have been talking to the wall.

Marriage guidance counsellors know that the new words make very little impression on the longevity of the union. Partnerships that have the greatest chance of survival occur when the partners share responsibilities, communicate and share their dreams. This is the true theme of the changes that are starting to happen in councils around the country but only hinted at in the WBOPDC Draft Long Term Plan. I attended two more public meetings this week, in Katikati and Waihi Beach, where members of the public came together to share their dreams and complaints in preparation for approaching the council with group submissions. Both meetings were positive and revealed an enhanced public interest for healthy debate and a willingness to share their ideas and work with Council. At the end of the month we will soon see if the Council's words in the Long Term Plan herald a new relationship or are just words.