hawkesbaycouncilwatch

With the Napier CC being open about the lack of interest in providing funds to the Regional Sports Park it is not surprising to see the Regional Council announcing that support from thier quarter is also decidedly lacking.

HDC park proponents must be losing sleep .

Without the support of other ratepayers in the region the project surely has to be canned before more money is waisted on an unwanted project.

It is interesting to note that the Chair of the RC has stated that the project is not really a regional project and that Napier and Hastings should have been consulted in the first instance.
It may be an opportunity to add a velodrome to the Park Island facility and to update some of Hastings run down facilities on a planned basis.
What happens to Sams’ $25,000 a month if the project is canned??? What’s in the contract?    

The submission game being played out in the Hastings Council chamber has evolved into a standoff between those who stand to benefit and those with a host of concerns.
Meerkats scouts have noticed a distinct split, that has sports groups who have been consulted  and who stand to benefit from  huge expenditure by ratepayers  and  unknown parties  ,  at odds  with those who  are more down to earth  thinking people  trying to warn of impending  disaster  at ‘investing’ in such a massive money gobbling complex.

Those sports groups who stand to benefit also indicate problems about coughing up for the ongoing funding of the facilities.They have indicated they want subsidies for transport ,cheap subs, someone else to provide equipment,buses,security and a creche etc, etc.

The simple answer to all this is that the ratepayer just can not afford to be Father Xmas. It’s always the council or the government who is expected to fund and where does that money come from?

Is there any commonsense floating around that council chamber? 

If Napier CC did not send a message to Hastings District Council by indicating that thier ratepayers preferred to put thier rates into local sports rather than a pie in the sky sports Park, come everything to everybody , then I have got the message wrong.
If Napier had been approached about putting a regional velodrome at Park Island then they may have bought in to it.But to  fund a  proposal that raises more questions than answers  and has dubious  benefits for Napier ratepayers  then  they probably have it  right.

It is indeed sad news to learn that Flower, the matriach of Meerkat Manor has been killed .The queen of the Meerkats has succumbed to a snake attack.
The many followers of Meekat Manor are very upset and cards have been flowing in.
She had been such a great leader and inspiration to many.
She will be missed.

The somewhat controversial editor Louis Pierard, of the local newspaper Hawkes Bay Today ,has resigned and is to pursue something new.
Hawkes Bay Today has been a let down for those who said combining papers would be good for the region.

A deterioration in standards,loss of good reporters and an editorial stance that has been destructive for the region may have combined to set the current scene .There certainly won’t be any investigative reporting into why the editor has chosen to move. What a shame.

The Bay looks forward to a new editor who recognises who are the good people in the region and recognises where the future  wealth lies. 

This coming week will be a huge week of decision making for the Hastings District Council.
Submissions on the proposed sports park are on and they have heard submissions on thier annual plan.

With the economy taking a dive it is not a good time to decide on making plans for big projects.People are hurting out there and it is time to consolidate.

It is unfortunate that so many ratepayers cannot take time out to listen to the  debate around the council table as I’m sure it will be one of the best for a while.

The Hawkes Bay Chamber of Commerce is at last working working for Hawkes Bay and showing some understanding of major issues affecting the region.
It is of major importance that the Chamber has come out in opposition to the proposed sports park and they appear to have done there figures on it.
The Chambers’ Chief Executive ,Murray Douglas  said “any expenditure by council of $50 million is likely to have economic affects ”
He is spot on.The Hastings community just can,t afford it and there are better ways to deal with sporting codes  around Hastings.
The Chamber has noted a  $1.5 million loss of production from the land in question and further financial implications of road development etc that would ruin the whole block in the future.

Lets hope we see some more inspiration from the Chamber in the future.

In contrast to Harvey the Hopeless we have Brendon O’donovan banker economist saying that looking to the future Hawkes Bay can lead the world.

At least he can see the reality of what we have in our secret eastern hideaway.

Waitakeri Mayor and dreamer Bob Harvey has decided to go a step further with the question over what to do with Auckland Councils.
Harvey has suggested that Government of the country be shifted to Auckland .He is deadly serious and believes that Auckland is the economic power house of NZ. First thought is what abouit the return from dairying?He probably hasn’t heard of that . 
It’s people like Harvey who keep getting re-elected for some obscure reason.
Just imagine the upheaval in the country if all the public servants had to move to Auckland.And what would happen to the Wellington economy.
It’s no wonder that those who live south of the Bombay Hills get so pissed off with twerps like this who don’t understand the first thing about how this country operates.
Time to stand down jaffa.

Submissions to all our local councils are  in and  some  have started  to hear from those brave enough  to front up and try and make a change.
The Chamber of Commerce is in the thick of it with a slightly different approach under its new leader Murray Douglas.
Previous attempts by the Chamber to  decipher  annual plans  were found wanting  and there was a  lack of understanding of how  and why councils  were there.

Hastings District Council has flushed out some lifestylers who have been hammered with rate increases.One of the joys of entering the grassed  country with a raft of ideas  and  wishful thinking ,is to find how one is treated by local authorities.
And don’t dare to try something out of the ordinary or it will cost a fortune in interpretation and explanation and thats just the first step.

Well the lifestylers have discovered they are easy targets for rate collection with thier sprawling house complexes ,poos and spas.
“But we don,t get anything for our rates they retort !
Nothing much has changed since the days of the rural revolt although the representation issue remains delicate.

Good luck submitters. Try and persuade those   who have been  persuaded  .
I wish you well.