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

At the Projects and Monitoring committee we had an update presentation from Tauranga Moana Museum Trust.

This private group has been pursuing the possibility of creating a museum for Tauranga for a number of years now. Council/ratepayers have agreed to contribute a suitable, already council-owned, consented site. Cliff Road has been mentioned but we were told they are not locked into that site. Their budget is $25million for the building. The breakdown of this is anticipated at $7million from central government $7million from regional sources, $6million from national sources including iwi, $2million from the community and $3million from business sources. Apart from the consented site, there is no allowances in any of Tauranga City Council's forward 10-year plan budgets for a ratepayer cash injection. I suppose, in the event that this project gets off the ground, it would take over the existing artefacts' storage and budget. This year, the budget is $542,875+GST. To be crystal clear – this is not a TCC initiative – this is a private project of the trust.

Tree problems
Another tree problem, this time at 227 Levers Rd. It's on the protected tree list. This list was compiled by staff driving around town selecting trees that must be protected – even some on private property. The tree sub-committee is empowered to make decisions on council-owned trees – not on the protected list. So if your tree is on the protected list, and is causing you a problem, the only recourse you have is to apply for a resource consent. This can be a lengthy expensive process. So these homeowners came along to the Projects and Monitoring Committee to tell us the distress the tree is causing them, and the damage to property it is doing. There is sympathy for their plight among elected members but little possibility of short-circuiting the 'system”. As an aside, it's difficult for most of us to understand how this tree, not a New Zealand native, was even considered for the protection list. It's been hacked around to keep clear of power lines and doesn't even look appealing. Unbelievable!
Another presentation, this time from the Te Puke Economic Development Group (EDG), which is promoting Te Puke with the object of encouraging business to Te Puke, and the industrial park at Rangiuru near the AFFCO freezing works. The new Eastern Link motorway runs through Rangiuru and the railway is alongside ensuring fast easy access to the port. There is the possibility of a solid waste disposal plant, using the steam reform process used in South Africa during the Apartheid era (when South Africa was squeezed for oil supply). The process works, we were told – and produces 160,000 barrels of synthetic diesel a day. As with all good ideas, cash is needed for these projects; and the group has developer interest in taking Rangiuru Industrial land to the next stage.

Approved agreements
Sport BOP Relationship Agreement's schedule of outcomes for 2013-2014 was approved. Tauranga ratepayers contribute $289,308 towards their costs. There is a moving feast of activities they cover, as new sports come and older ones go. Like Creative Tauranga, who cater to the arts, these organisations are contracted to council to provide certain services to the community. Rationalisation is the name of the game, in this day and age, of reducing incomes and increasing costs; and flexibility, as displayed by Sport BOP, is the secret to maintaining levels of service without increasing budgets – other than CPI.
David Stewart floated the idea of rationalising economics within the arts sector last week, during the debate around the Cargo Shed. When such suggestions have been made in the past there has been much protest. But it needs looking at again, if only to contain and control costs. One obvious example is Creative Tauranga occupying expensive, prime downtown premises directly across the road from the Art Gallery. No doubt there is plenty of justification – but if that rent money can be ploughed back into the arts sector that would seem to be worthy of consideration. At the time Creative Tauranga moved, from much cheaper accommodation, I queried how they were making up the rent. I was told they had sponsors for eight of their on-street windows at $8000 apiece. Well that didn't happen, although a few were rented out from time to time. Shared administration costs, streamlined management and a single-sector group, applying for grant and sponsorship money, seems worth considering in today's financial climate. Tauranga ratepayers contribute $277,258+GST for contracted services to Creative Tauranga and about $900,000 to the Art Gallery.
At the Strategy and Policy committee, a draft outdoor space-booking policy was approved for consultation. We're getting big city syndrome when we have to book outdoor space. But it's designed primarily to prevent clashes for use. For example, a wedding at Sulphur Point is very popular during summer. Other issues are firming up on block bookings for sport, where some sport block-out dates on the premise they might need them and cancel out when they find they don't require the particular date. This has the effect of preventing other use and city space is getting to be a premium in certain spots. Chairman David Stewart said quite seriously that everyone would then be on a 'level playing field”.

Liquor-free zone
Mauao – the Mount – has been added to the liquor-free zone – as has 417 Fraser St at Merivale, in front of the Merivale Community Centre where the old church-occupied building has been removed. Draft Freedom Camping and Mobile Shops policies were approved for your consultation. At the Joint Governance Committee, the two councils (TCC and WBOPDC), finalised the contents of the draft Local Alcohol Policy, which will go out for consultation about August. This is the continuance of councils being required by central government to take over liquor laws. From where I sit, it appears that what we have agreed is pragmatic and sensible. The big change, affecting late night (and very early morning) patrons, is that one-way door policies will operate from 2am onwards with all bars/hotels/restaurants, for example, closing at 3am. Of course they can close earlier if they want. There was a big presence from the liquor sector, while we work-shopped a plethora of decisions, and they seemed reasonably satisfied with the outcome.
This week's mind bender from Corrie Ten Boom – 'Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a centre of fear”.