Andrew von Dadelszen Former Regional Councillor

The proposed Tauranga City Council's Long Term Plan 2015-2025 shows no vision.

City councillors are obsessed with the level of council debt, but fail to realise that if they control their cost structure then the debt will manage itself.

A quick look at the burgeoning staff numbers will show this council is overloaded with bureaucratic planners, and not enough action-orientated frontline staff.

I'm sure that council could perform effectively with a reduction of about 40 per cent from the current staff levels.

TCC appears in total disarray. Their property division continues to give mixed messages, and no one seems to know what they are doing.

The proposed sell-off of the greenspace alongside Takitimu Drive Expressway – the main entrance to the city – is a classic example.

The council property team notified Fourth Ave residents in December 2014 that they were considering selling two Fourth Ave properties adjourning the Expressway, which are currently considered greenspace.

They continue to give residents mixed messages, and often don't even bother to respond to queries. The proposed properties for sale are listed incorrectly on the council database.

Now council CEO Garry Poole tells me that council is considering all the property adjoining the Expressway, from Fourth Ave to Eighth Ave.

Included in the list are 120,121 and 127 Fourth Ave, 98 Fifth Ave, 97 and 99 Sixth Ave, and 105 Eighth Ave.

It truly is a shambles. There is no transparency – something the new 2013 councillors promised us. Reading today about the 86 'secret meetings” – that's one every week – is not good governance – something that they pride themselves in.

The previous Council of 2010-2013 might have been dysfunctional, but at least there was a semblance of transparency.

This current crowd is showing a total disrespect for the democratic process – no vision and combine all this with poor governance. I am sorry but we have to look at their leadership – the CEO and Mayor steer this ship, and it's a huge disappointment.

Mayor Stuart Crosby has been on council for 30 years and his ship is sinking.

This is a great city, but its heart is stagnating. Residents and ratepayers can't afford to be apathetic. We need strong leadership. The clock is ticking.

If you have a view on these or any other local government issues, I invite you to email me at andrew@vond.co.nz or visit www.vond.co.nz