Govt to decide future of Tauranga City Council

Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Matt Cowley says the cities former council was an "embarrassment".

As Tauranga City Commissioners released more details for one of the most “significant projects” for the city, some in the business community are asking central Government to keep them on.

On Monday at a council meeting commissioners made an amendment to the current long-term plan, so the community can provide feedback for the civic precinct.

There are two options for community consultation which will determine how much money is spent and what facilities will be built.

Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Matt Cowley told 1News the commissioners are making good progress.

"The most important thing that the commissioners have done is... give confidence back to partners particularly with staff implementing this smart growth strategy around housing future growth areas."

He says before the commissioners were established, the former council was an "embarrassment", and he'd like to see the commissioners stay on to see some projects completed.

But the president of Mount Maunganui, Residents, Ratepayers & Retailers, Michael O’Neill says there’s a serious lack of tolerance, and the council must return to a democracy.

"We have members that are refusing to pay their rates, until democracy is returned to Tauranga, and I could see that escalating.

He says a recent survey by the council into ratepayer satisfaction has rated the commissioners "extremely poorly".

However Scott Adams from the Urban Taskforce says the city has had "decades of under investment" and "poor decision making" from councillors, and any return to local body elections must attract the right candidates.

Recruitment specialist, Bernadette Ryan-Hopkins, says the city's population is rising rapidly, and attracting talent to Tauranga hinges on the "progress" and "momentum" the city is experiencing.

Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) told 1News it's actively advocating to increase diversity of candidates, which helps reduce "one-dimensional thinking" and brings "multiple perspectives" to the table.

It says when communities lose confidence in elected members LGNZ "advocates that central government should enable citizens to trigger a recall election through a petition process.

“This would ensure an appropriate level of democracy".

LGNZ is currently running workshops on the Government's Future for Local Government reform, to generate "thinking about the future" and what changes may be needed.

Meanwhile the Government is expected to make a decision in the coming weeks whether the commissioners will stay on, or a new council will be formed in October.

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