It was good to read Cr Faulkner's column and learn that Tauranga City Council (TCC) are going to fit the capital works to the budget and not the other way round. Once TCC have that under control they could look at staff numbers.
Some ten years ago, when TCC sold off the rubbish collection, they proudly announced they were down to 210 staff - last year it was 454 and this year is already 505.
They have some extremely competent staff who are an asset to the city, but then there are the others.
For instance the clerk who was apparently unaware that GST changed from 12.5% to 15% on 1st October 2010. In September my company forwarded a new tax invoice at 15%GST for an automatic payment made by TCC on the 1st of each month.
I understand the new rate was authorised by four senior TCC staff but on 1 October payment was made at the old rate. It would appear that either no one thought to actually alter the automatic payment or instructions from senior staff are irrelevant (or both).
Allan Gifford, Tauranga.