Brian Anderson The Western Front www.sunlive.co.nz

Commissioners have taken over the running of Kaipara District Council this week and with the results in from the representation submissions, Western Bay of Plenty District Council looks very likely to meet the same fate.

The submission process was always going to be a farce. The single plan with a single option of ‘like it or lump it' could never be the voice of 30,000 people. To add insult to injury, they then asked why. This question is well known to every parent held to ransom by their five year old. There were more than 90 replies with only two clear cut approval responses. About eight said ‘yes' for either the three wards or the number of councillors but added modification for the rest of their submissions. All of the other 80 replies gave a clear cut ‘no'.

The ‘why' part of the submission was fun. With no information or guidelines from council, many submitters assumed that the council might listen to their alternatives. There were at least 40 different plans suggested with no clear cut direction for the council. Despite the mayor's misgivings, council has to either start again or just give up and wait for the axe to fall.

Both Maketu and Waihi Beach saw the proposal as further isolation for their communities. Waihi Beach didn't bother with many alternatives. They already have the chance for another appeal to move in with Thames Coromandel in December. The Maketu councillor has obviously has been doing her homework and rewrote the submission form for Maketu. Her form considered their community of interest, how they could communicate effectively with the council with their version of a community board and only then insisted on councillor representation. Her process is correct but the rest of the council has already determined that they don't want to hear what she is talking about and certainly her answers have no application across the district for the council in its discussions.

Seventy council representatives from around the country held a meeting a week or two ago to oppose the Government's plans and demanded more time. Anyone who has read the relevant acts and guidelines has no problem with understanding the Government's direction. It is obvious that they are very literate in Maketu.

I remember the old words of wisdom: never attempt to explain anything logically to someone to give them understanding when understanding could affect their position or income. They asked the dumb question because they want to hold on to their dumb answers.