Reporting on Tauranga City Council canning specific open forum presentations and questioning, in fact confirms my fears. This initiative was probably hatched by the ‘old guard' (who were summarily given marching orders by voters), and the usual suspect council bureaucrats who obviously decided, after embarrassing presentations early this year, they'd never be caught short again.
While these presenters had given five days notice, and arranged set speaking times, the upshot is some councillors threatened to stop any telling criticism in future - because they couldn't stand the heat.
Undemocratic lack of transparency and thin end of the wedge are words that spring to mind. It is a sad state of affairs when the Tauranga public and, or, their duly elected representatives, are sidelined by council.
The worst feature here is the new councillors, without any adequate public input or consultation, have gone along with what's been dished up to them with barely a whimper, merely on the say so of council staff presumably? A fail mark here on lesson one for TCC's six newbies.

R Paterson, Matapihi.