I noted with interest Mayor Stuart Crosby response in a story by John Cousin's (Tuesday 10th November a BOP Times reporter) 'Help may be coming for leaky homes”. Mayor Crosby felt the 'negotiations between Councils and the Government was a move in the right direction”.

Well I think he got the 'move” part right, but I think the 'direction” part was overwhelmingly in favor of his Council's move away from any liability for home owners in our district.

Mayor Crosby went on to say 28,000 homes where built in Tauranga between 1992 and 2008 of which a potential scale for leaky homes might be 1876, but like the true politician quickly blamed the home owner for opting for using 'private building certifiers in Tauranga”. Then went on to say his 'Council was currently only a party to five leaking building claims”.

So I assume Mayor Crosby believes the other poor 1871 potential leaky home owners bought it on themselves by employing 'private building certifiers”.

Well I thought, Council privatized the original Building Inspectors role, whereby council ensured during that time all permits and inspections had to be carried out in accordance with the local authority regulations of that time prior to 1992. Then Council privatized that role and appointed Bay Certifiers to carry out those duties, until they went into receivership. Currently we have three approved Council Certifiers.

Maybe the best option to move forward and ensure water tightness in the future, is for Council to take back that responsibility and not allow privatizing in this area.

Clayton Cosgrove attacked our industry regarding what he called 'shonky Real Estate agents”. Maybe he should have looked a little closer to home at Local Authorities.

Look forward to your thoughts.