It is ludicrous that the Tauranga City Council's Code of Conduct has to be amended in order that councillors have to abide by a basic premise set out in the objectives: ‘Mutual trust, respect and tolerance between all elected members .......... ‘

In May Cr Baldock moved ‘the closure' before all councillors had been able to speak and the Mayor incorrectly allowed the motion and so three councillors rightly walked out and a further councillor refused to vote.

The debate, which then passed, presumably without a quorum, was on Elizabeth Street's $11million transformation which residents had shown concern about proceeding, in view of being a want not a need at this time.

A further governance principal in the Code is; ‘.....that the role of democratic governance of the community, and the expected conduct of elected members, is clear and understood by elected members and the community.'

The Mayor has a record of insulting behaviour and Cr Baldock has a record of not listening to voters. If the Principles of Meeting Procedure were understood by all and not blatantly ignored by the Chair then we, the public, would know that at least some part of the decision making process cannot be manipulated.

R Stephens, Papamoa Beach