hawkesbaycouncilwatch

Behind the scenes the CEO of Hastings  District Council has been working away exploring ways of reinvigorating a tired and ingrained council staff.

Changes have been made which may raise some eyebrows , but a deeper reflection may expose a move to strike a better relationship with the ratepayers and inject some realism into a flagging scene.

The appointment of John O’Shaunessey to look after the regulatory area is a surprise but a change that may see a constructive approach to consents in the future.

The changes are also significant for exposing some gaps in the rearrangement.

We await with interest.

All is not well with the Central Hawkes Bay District Council.
Prolific letter writers like Dennis Pennefather appear exasperated at the lack of coverage by the press and rightly so.

Small councils such as CHB deserve to get decent coverage of issues by local press but that is not what happens these days.
Major changes to rates by elected councils need to be conveyed to all even if that means sending a reporter to small town meetings.

It may be time for the CHB Mayor to issue some press statements.

So now we have the non MP introducing another private members bill in an arrogant fit of denial.
This unelected MP thinks she knows better and is trying to undo what has become a way for taxpayers to send a message to those who represent them.

To try and formulate a bill that will play around or try and dictate the wording for a referendum, is a shocking waste of parliaments time.
It is to be hoped this private non members bill does not get drawn………ever

The TV 3 News item covering the upcoming referendum on smacking must be one of the most extraordinary items ever seen.
It was a blatant attempt to influence voters and discredit the referendum.
Just who do these reporters think they are? To suggest that reporting should be without bias is a joke.
The cut snips of the party leaders were put together to make it sound as though they were saying they wanted to change the referendum question,which is outrageous after it has been through due process and the report implied they would review the very question of holding referenda.
Appalling journalism.
What should be noted is that the initial parliamentary vote was because of a bill introduced by an MP who was never elected and was passed by a so called conscience  vote controlled by parties.
MP’s should not have conscience votes and list MP’s should not be able to introduce bills.

Shocking stuff.    

The application for a consent for a Bunnings outlet in Pakowhai Rd will be heard this month on the 25th.

It is a cheeky application testing the bounds of the Hastings District plan and will be an interesting case to follow.

The Hawkes Bay Regional Council has purchased a farm near the Tutira block that is already owned by Council.
The reasons for purchasing this farm however are a mystery.
Any suggestion that this purchase will be fruitful in the form of carbon credits , is fanciful thinking.

What a cop out . The council needed to show the purchase was for erosion control or catchment reasons and it may then have been justified.
Meerkat also suspects there was no allowance for pest control in the analysis for purchase.

A shame indeed.

Rodney Hide today mentioned that he intended to make changes to the Local Government Act to better establish the role of councils and the and to identify the core activities that councils should be responsible for.

In the light of the ridiculous comments ensuing from the Hastings council this week , then the sooner the better. 

If the local HB Today has reported correctly the suggestion from Hastings District Council that the Regional Council should hit all ratepayers with a fee for Sport Hawkes Bay, then this an appalling staement from Hastings Councillors and a sign that changes need to be made to the role of local government.

If Sport HB cannot support itself on Government funding then some serious questions need to be asked .

Just what the hell is going on.???

And to Hastings Councillors , please try and understand the role of the Regional Council as a first step. 

Submissions to the Hastings District Council on the annual plan were less than exciting with the big issue a stink about closing the Black Bridge dump.

It’s so disappointing as there are so many issues hidden in the financials that ratepayers should be up in arms.
People are so busy and carry on with life until something close to home upsets them.

This is how councils get away with blue murder.