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

SANTA won't be coming anytime soon for Tauranga City Council, ratepayers and Route K users. SANTA – acronym for Sorry, Acquisition No – The Agency – is my take on a meeting held last week between some elected members, council staff and representatives of The Agency over Route K ownership and its accompanying council debt of around $60 million.

First, I have to acknowledge the upfront, no-nonsense summary of Harry Wilson from NZTA – the Transport Agency. He explained the position that central government requires of NZTA. It's quite specific that capital works should only be spent on new works that will significantly enhance the NZ economy. Clearly there's nowhere near enough money to do that, so NZTA, which prioritises the work without political interference or direction, is precluded from taking over Route K ownership and debt. That's because Route K is not NEW works and its benefits are already significantly enhancing the NZ economy. The port would find its efficiencies dramatically affected were Route K not there. So we (council, ratepayers and Route K users) are hoisted by our own petard. Personally I feel well and truly shafted, having been involved on the periphery of the Route K saga since its inception. There is little doubt that almost everyone involved had the best of intentions as the project went along and I'm not levelling blame at any specific point, but at the way council was sucked into the vortex of much larger events beyond council control consequent to the length of time everything has been dragged out to. As successive governments came and went so did various policies, administrative bodies and individual politicians and officers from government, its agencies and council. From my perspective elected members received ongoing verbal assurances through council staff from the government and its agencies that Route K would be acquired by them and the last finite date was June 30, 2011. Not in writing though. The 'global financial crisis” and Christchurch earthquake roading repairs were cited as more reasons to do nothing.

Enough of the history. Where to from here? Elected members have met with local MPs Tony Ryall and Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges, who have promised active involvement and support in representation to Cabinet. The only avenue left (no pun intended) that I see is for the government to write out a cheque for around $60 million to enable the Agency to take over Route K. We can forget about the $11 million for our share of the Pyes Pa bypass, from what I have gathered. Again soothing unwritten assurances to elected members have come to nothing.

John Key promised in the run-up to the 2008 election funding for the 15^th Avenue to Hairini four-laning and underpass. The agency is to do the underpass as part of its strategic roading network as it stacks up on criteria for SH29 out of its existing budget. But 15^th Ave to Hairini won't meet criteria until around 2026 on present traffic models. So a pragmatic albeit unpalatable solution is for a bit of horse trading. The council agrees with central government that we exchange the 15^th Ave/Hairini promise for Route K. Some sort of honour is preserved and a much higher priority (Route K debt) problem is resolved. Of course there are other issues, including council's former agreement to take back over 15^th Ave/Hairini from the agency (its presently designated SH2a) and funding for the proposed electronic toll gantry for Route K to complement the gantry that will collect tolls on the Easter Link toll way, due to open 2016. Throw into the mix that the contract for maintenance on Route K is due to expire next year and the agency could take over this expenditure. But would there be a requirement to share existing toll revenue?

And so it goes on. Tauranga needs rapid help here – it's gone on too long – and we are the innocent (and possibly naïve) victims of circumstances beyond our control. Our Christmas present hopes now rest on SANTAS (Strategic Assistance Now from Tony And Simon) and consider the effect on Tauranga motorists, Port access and Cameron Road if Route K closed, or worse, wasn't even there.

At the last full council meeting for the year the agenda was dragged out with lengthy debate. One contentious item was an attempt to 'stop” a road in Ohauiti. A 'paper” road off Awaiti Place is being used by residents as a local reserve and they campaigned to have it left as is. Habitat for Humanity had identified it as a potential low-cost section to build a home for a low-income family. After a lengthy discussion it was decided to leave it alone on a vote of 7-4. These little parcels of land cost ratepayers some maintenance and, being unoccupied, don't generate rates, and it's council policy to sell them off, but in this case there was doubt over whether adjoining residents had been given the full story regarding their opportunity to purchase it.

At long last a tsunami evacuation plan. A summary included instructions to 'Go high”. Wow! 'Go inland”, 'Think feet”, 'Be prepared” and the revelation that 'No one is coming to help you.” Using your vehicle is a waste of time. The Maoris figured it out in the 1500s when the last big tsunami went through and moved their pas up into the Papamoa Hills. Tsunami sirens generated more debate and seemingly Murray Guy and Bill Grainger wanted to redesign the system. Either the Meerkat system or air raid sirens will cost more than $1 million. I suspect attempts to turn this into an election issue. Tsunami sirens are only a part of the tsunami alert. I've already noted that ratepayers may not have to fund these and it's my view that far too much attention is being focused on detail for other than altruistic reasons.

By the time you read this you will know whether or not it was/is the end of the world on 21.12.12. This will be about the fifth end of the world I've experienced, so here's hoping. In the happy event we survived I would take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Christmas and New Year. Thanks for your support, feedback, comments and advice. The column will be back when council resumes in January, keeping you up to date with what's really going on in City Hall.

This week's mindbender – possibly appropriate to the issues from Peter Marshall. It is better to fail in a cause that will ultimately succeed than to succeed in a cause that will ultimately fail.