Included inside my local weekly newspaper last week was Issue 32, October 2011, 'backyard”, a 12 page, full colour publication, with photos and articles, ostensibly justifying the existence of the Regional Council, and indeed, funded by the rates which are levied upon us, by them.
I recently read about the forthcoming sharp increase in Regional Council Rates, so I invite the Chairman, Mr John Cronin, to answer the following:
What is the justification for the monthly publication of this brochure?
How is this Regional Council a necessary ‘major player', in the ongoing development in the Bay of Plenty?
And why is a separate council - with associated corporate expenses, ever-increasing remuneration to the 13 councillors, four separate offices (Whakatane, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga, and Rotorua), and two depots (Edgecumbe and Opotiki), administrative costs for all these, plus monthly publication costs for this brochure - deemed necessary, when we already have two local councils in the Bay of Plenty, who could utilize some of their extensive staff and easily accomplish these same ‘diverse activities' mentioned in 'backyard”?

Jocelyn MacIntyre.