Having wrapped up the draft annual plan/10 year plan to go out to you for your comment Council is now back into its normal round of committee meetings.

At Strategy and Policy we reviewed External Representatives Remuneration Policy. This is how people appointed to represent community sectors at Council committees get compensated - $170 a meeting plus travel expenses.
There was no change to existing policy. It's fair that these people get compensated but in my opinion the rules around accountability for the decision making process could be a bit stronger. The issue isn't a biggie and by and large the system now works well especially compared to some rorts of yesteryear. 106 pages of outdated policies were rescinded, but, don't panic, they will have all been replaced, updated and tightened as the system grinds inexorably on.

Ratepayer subsidy assurance
Anne Pankhurst, Chairwoman of Artsville made a presentation seeking a mandate to put together a proposal for the Artsville Trust to rationalise use of the group of buildings at the bottom of Elizabeth Street located on Council/ratepayer owned land. Ever the pragmatist Anne opened her presentation by assuring me that she wasn't looking for ratepayer subsidy. The proposal will come back with a staff report on implications for Council/ratepayers.

Concept stage for Hairini Link
At Transportation Taskforce there was a comprehensive update of the Central Corridor project now renamed Hairini Link. Of course it's much more than that. At present its progress is somewhat constrained because there's no real money. Just a pre election promise of $100 million. There's no reason to believe the money won't be forthcoming but without the cash we can't pay the bills.
A four stage project with Stage 1 completed (the lights at Welcome Bay/Maungatapu). Stage 2 is improvements to 15th Ave/Cameron Road intersection, along 15th Ave to Turret Road and on up to Maungatapu roundabout. This includes limited road widening, bus priority measures and improved pedestrian and cycling facilities.
Stage 3 includes a new Hairini Bridge and four laning Turret Road/15th Ave and Stage 4 an alternative link from Welcome Bay to SH 2/29 or grade separation of the roundabouts. (That's a tunnel folks!)
Many concepts for how all this might be achieved but I said that the pohutukawa trees along the Turret Road foreshore were sacrosanct in many people's eyes and any options involving touching them ought to be knocked on the head right form the outset. This suggestion did not meet with universal acclamation 'as we are only into the concept stage right now”. I've heard that one before too!

Hopes for smooth consent process
Hopefully the new government will come up with the money asap and smooth out the consent process. For instance DOC agreement will be needed to widen the causeway. Long regarding by some as the Department of No, for infrastructure building a fast track of the RMA (Resource Management Act) will significantly reduce unnecessary costs as well. Options for 15th Ave include going down Mayfair Lane and around the western foreshore of Turret Road peninsula.

Six headed cycling monster
At Full Council a simple request for a clearway early in the morning along Oceanbeach Road to allow cyclists to get to school had turned into a six headed monster with a staff generated resolution proposing double cycle lanes and loss of 150 carparks. Oceanbeach Road carries 12,000 vehicles a day with an estimated 273 cyclists.
Mike Baker got to grips with it early and moved that it be kicked to touch which it was by 9-2 with Hayden Evans and David Stewart thinking the idea had merit. Mike made the point that we spent longer on these sort of matters than we had considering a 9% rate revenue increase. Not quite but his point (ranking priorities) was well made.

Mountains of molehills
Following on from last week's molehill issue of Murray Guy's museum committee resignation, this week's molehill issue was an attempt by Rick Curach to alter standing orders with a notice of motion making use of microphones compulsory.
The actual wording read 'That standing orders be amended to include the following clause: 3.3.8 (c) whenever meetings are in session Members must switch on their microphones and speak clearly into the microphone at all times when speaking.”
Rick had taken exception to my refusal to his instruction at a previous meeting to turn on my microphone.
Silly me! I was under the impression that a Chairman runs the meeting.

Much ado about nothing
Contrary to media reports attempting to convey the impression that I oppose the use of microphones, I do in fact support any mechanism that enables cost effective communication of what Council does for its community. The solution is that staff put a little reminder notice to turn on our microphones and that is all that was required.
During the debate there were some gems with Greg Brownless (and it was Greg) saying that this notice of motion reminded him of people who wanted to be school prefects and wound up by saying that Robert Mugabe and Ghengis Kahn would be proud of this proposed resolution.

Hilarious debate
Hayden Evans said that the recordings contained a lot of blankness and some wag retorted that there was a lot of blankness when some members were talking as well.
There was much hilarity during the debate when Rick Curach had to be reminded not once but twice to turn his microphone on. This nonsense was kicked to touch 6-5 with Murray Guy noting that Pick 6 had all just voted for it together.
To more mirth Bill Grainger rapidly disassociated himself even thought he had voted with them.
As a matter of interest, after the meeting I researched public interest in our meetings recordings and there had been 152 hits on the website since it started around eight weeks ago. Some of my colleagues (who have not gone to the website) suggested that 75 hits were from elected members who like to listen to their own voices, 75 from the Bay Times catching up on meetings they didn't attend, and two from insomniacs.
For the latter it must have worked a treat. Average time on page was just three minutes. That's 152 hits for over 60 hours of meetings, averaging less than three minutes per hit. Much ado about nothing methinks.