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Matt Cowley Tauranga City Councillor |
It's a shame only small percentages of people actually tell council what they think about issues. Most people are too busy, uninterested, intimidated, or don't know how to submit feedback.
This week we've proven we accommodate people's feedback into our decisions. On Tuesday we made changes to our policy on how we deal with instances when Maori have a valid interest in land council is looking to dispose of.
We tightened up our policy so it's clear council expects full market valuation when transferring ownership of land to Maori.
But there have been examples in the past where a troublesome property was gifted to the adjacent iwi landowner because it was the most practical thing to do.
Only elected members will make decisions under this policy. Any transfer of land under market value will require a public consultation process, with a few minor exceptions.
We're also seeking your feedback on the proposed special housing area for Papamoa East. This is a consequence of the Housing Accord we signed with the Government.
Tuesday's public open day showed us residents are mostly concerned with the harm caused by more traffic on Papamoa Beach Rd. They're also concerned with uncertainty around crowding and the types of housing.
It'll be important to have plenty of neighbourhood parks to counterbalance from properties having smaller backyards. The 1990s layouts of cul-de-sacs with no walking/cycling access to bus stops, parks and shops should also be left in the 20th Century.
We're also seeking your feedback on our tree management policy. We're also holding public sessions to guide our draft public arts policy. Visit council's website for more information.
On Monday we agreed on how our $50,000 Community Match Fund will operate. It aims to provide up to 50 per cent funding for small and medium-sized neighbourhood projects.
It's not a lot of money and Mayor Stuart Crosby said the funding was over-subscribed last time. It's a pilot and if is successful we can ask you if we should increase the amount in the Long Term Plan.
We set up the fund because we want to help people to become citizens who are empowered to do good things in their neighbourhood.
Feel free to email me your thoughts (matt.cowley@tauranga.govt.nz), call/text me on 027 6989 548, and follow me at www.facebook.com/a.younger.voice.