Your correspondent W. Gordon (The Weekend Sun July 3) has made several excellent and sadly, true points.

Yes, Tauranga City rates are amongst the highest in the country. The reasons have been canvassed 100 times and there is no point in repetition. But councillors, and more importantly Council staff, seem to be more intent on increase rather than reduction or at least holding the rate.

W. Gordon mentions kerbside rubbish collection. This service is in a chaotic condition with several different contractors' vehicles chasing each other around the city streets every week.

It is unfair that each property pays the same for this service. Some, to my knowledge, do not put out a bag or container every week. Yet they pay, through the rating system, the same as those who put out two or more. There should be one collection contractor in each district of the city and charging should be on a per container basis. This would probably require the council or some related agency to be responsible for the supply of the containers. So be it, the council already puts stickers on the bags.
How many times will Wharf Street be 'upgraded”? On the basis of The Strand's history the current second attempt won't be the last!

The question arises, for whose benefit is this exercise, and the Elizabeth Street beautification, being undertaken. Essentially it is for the benefit of the café and restaurant owners in Wharf Street and for the eventual apartment owners in Elizabeth Street. But who pays for these fantasies? Need we ask – the ratepayers?

It is high time for the council to rein in these staff-generated excesses.

There is still some wisdom in the old saying that the business of councils is 'roads, rates and rubbish”.

For those citizens of this fair city who have to get by on a fixed and post-Covid, likely-reduced income, it would certainly be a blessing if Tauranga city councillors took this more to heart.

M Batchelor, Matua