Cr Bill Faulkner Faulkners Corner www.sunlive.co.nz

This week council deliberated on submissions to its proposed annual plan.

Things went pretty smoothly even though there was plenty of debate and split voting. At the time of writing, the rate revenue requirement for next financial year stands at just over 11 per cent – up from 10.7 per cent. Most of this is due to the proposal (contrary to the headline in the Bay Times ‘We've got Sirens') to install tsunami sirens around the city and coastal low lying areas. This entire annual plan is not yet confirmed and I have an indication that these sirens may yet be funded from elsewhere.

Sydenham Park

Botanic Park at Brookfield, now popularly known as Sydenham Park, will proceed with council facilitation to form a new trusteeship from enthusiasts in our community. Once again the Bay Times headline ‘U-Turn victory for those who lobbied against sale' is incorrect.

Council doesn't own the land, a fact well reported in all media including the Bay Times. Council/ratepayer contributions will be facilitating a trust to set it up, plus about $20,000 for basic maintenance.

Mount flooding

Stormwater issues, highlighted in this column last week, at the Mount industrial area will get attention. Around $6.6 million to attend to improvement to drains and holding ponds, plus acquisition of more holding capacity will dramatically improve the situation. A reprioritisation of the Ten Year Plan stormwater spend of $50 million will provide some source of funding and the strategic property account, where council sells and buys land, will fund any property purchases. This is stormwater management as opposed to an engineering ‘fix' which is estimated at $84 million. We have to be very sure that in any reprioritisation, council doesn't unduly shift the flooding problem elsewhere.

City parking

Parking problems, real and perceived, were addressed in association with the City Centre Action Group and Tauranga Mainstreet. I hope it works for the downtown because the proposals will reduce parking revenue surplus significantly. This surplus is ploughed back into parking so there is a risk in doing this. There will be ‘free' buses to downtown on Saturday, and ‘free' parking both on street and parking buildings.

Of course there is no such thing as ‘free' and I asked the terminology be change to ‘no charge'. Costs go on more or less the same and in my view this initiative is likely to produce as many problems as it solves – like retail staff taking up the parking spaces.

Murray Guy said there would be no financial risk and Larry Baldock said he hoped he wouldn't be saying ‘I told you so' in 12 months time. Larry shared concerns on the fine financial edge council is walking here.

Not so trivial

These were some of the big issues on day one along with one other major issue for some elected members. This was my report last week on the trivia quiz night ‘Are you Smarter than a Councillor?' It seems that, in fact, the staff team did beat the elected members. The staff team was second overall, not second to last. Oh dear! Things can't get much worse, but there is some silver lining. One – we weren't last, and second it was heartening to know that all my colleagues have come in from the cold and now read this column. Previously some have been in denial, others support and others still trying to shut me down.

Camera check

Ratepayers will contribute 90 per cent of the budgeted $55,485 for CTV camera inspection of newly installed pipes on new subdivisions. On a vote of 6/4 (Tony Christiansen was away) it was held that as the records were to the council benefit then ratepayers should pay the lions' share. If faults are found, then developers will have to pay.

Money for dredging

The Kopureroa Stream running through Birch Ave will get urgent attention to alleviate flooding down there. Included is $100,000 extra for dredging up to the floodgate. Apparently the stream used to be cleaned out annually under the old catchment commission that became regional council. But now it seems the regional council are into loftier things like governance and no longer soil their hands by actually doing such menial works. The silt rolls down from up in the hills and it's just our bad luck it continues to accumulate at the stream's end. The regional council has millions in the bank and in my opinion they should step up to the mark.

Pavilion check

Clarke Street Elder Village proposed sale to the Tauranga Community Housing Trust is to go forward for confirmation. Proceeds of around $1 million will go to repay Elder Housing debt.

Cliff Road pavilion, the decrepit amenities building, is to get a stay of execution as staff liaise with users to look at a volunteer fix. OSH and all that mean that council is still liable for anything that happens regarding the building and we aren't going to throw good (ratepayer) money after bad. This building is on its last legs.

Not close enough

On a vote of six to four council will not be supporting the regional council giving $4 million to a regional cycling centre at Cambridge. The majority felt that if the regional council was to contemplate a $4 million grant then it should be to Bay of Plenty amenities like TECT Park or TECT Arena at Baypark.

Ratepayers will help the maintenance of sports fields at Judea to the tune of $4000 in return for public access. This has always been accessible, but maintenance costs for the club are getting beyond their means.

Housing shuffle

Council's share of 7 Mission Street will be gifted to the Elms Trust and 11 Mission Street will be leased to the trust, meantime until development plans are done. This gives the trust security of tenure and allows long term planning for the preservation of Tauranga's history. Surprisingly Larry Baldock, Murray Guy, Rick Curach and Bill Grainger didn't support this.

This week's mindbender from Winston Churchill – 'The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings: the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.”