The Tauranga City Council's City Partners programme was mentioned by one of your letter writers (Weekend Sun, 17 September issue). City Partners is an aspect of the Council's affairs about which the public knows very little. Therefore, it would be interesting for residents and ratepayers to have some up-to-date information about this programme.
Perhaps you can refer the following questions to the Mayor, or the Council staff, and print the responses in this section of your newspaper?
One. What are the direct and intangible benefits arising from the programme to the residents and ratepayers?
Two. What are the benefits to those business concerns that have made payment to TCC to take up partnerships?
Three. What is the value of contributions in cash and services, made to Council by the partners over the last three years, the term of the present Council?
Four. What is the value of business etc transacted between Council and partners in the same three years?
In case it is considered the questions above raise any issues of 'commercial sensitivity”, it is pointed out the information sought relates entirely to the over-all figures, which could have no impact on the privacy of individual partners.
S Paterson, Arataki.

TCC responds:
The direct benefits to us all are contributions to Council and community Projects worth many millions of dollars. Without City Partner contributions many assisted projects would either struggle, take longer to happen, not take place at all, and/or be a much bigger draw on ratepayer funding. City Partner contributions help get things done. For instance, the Rotary Centennial Trust has contributed more than $500,000 in value to the Kopurererua Valley restoration project. The intangible benefits are the efficiencies and good will that come from Council and the community working in a more collaborative way.
2 The benefits to City Partners are the opportunities the programme provides to build stronger relationships with Council, fellow City Partners and the community.
Partners use the programme as a trusted vehicle to invest directly in Council and community projects. They do so because they live here, work here, believe in the sub-region's future and are in a position to give something back. Partners enjoy being associated with both the programme and the projects - and they welcome opportunities for information sharing, strategic thinking and networking.
3&4 A confidential report was prepared for the Elected Members in March of this year and covered the three years 2007-2009. In that time the value of contributions in cash and services made to Council and community projects by City Partners was approximately $2.8million. (Because of the timing, this figure did not include contributions to the Tauranga Indoor Sport and Exhibition Centre Project of approximately $8million and much of the $900,000 contributed towards the BOP Sailing Centre project). In the same period the value of business transacted between Council and City Partners was approximately $123million.
Note: Many of Council's ‘highest value' suppliers are not City Partners - and nearly a quarter of City Partners do little or no actual ‘business' with Council apart from helping to fund projects. Council's Procurement Policy sets out strict guidelines for how goods and services are procured.
The overwhelming majority of Council work gained by City Partners (and non City Partners) is work that is formally tendered and won on a competitive basis. Where a tender process is not required ‘Open and Fair Competition' requirements of the Procurement Policy apply.
Information on the City Partnership Programme is available on Council's website.
Frank Begley, City Partnership Manager,
Tauranga City Council.