Catherine Stewart Tauranga City Councillor

This year elected members have attended more briefings and workshops than meetings.

Some briefings are just that, and are information only. However, on some occasions direction is sought by staff and ‘straw polls' are carried out. Is this decision making? It could be argued that a decision is being made.

Recently, elected members were asked at a briefing if they were agreeable to Creative Tauranga having a three year contract. A few elected members were absent from this briefing, including myself. In my opinion, this matter should have come to a council meeting for debate and a decision.

If there are to be briefings or workshops in confidential, there needs to be criteria around what makes a briefing or workshop ‘confidential' and what criteria makes a briefing or workshop ‘open' to the public. There is also an opportunity to have workshops in the open with part in confidential, if the matter meets specific criteria.

The downside to briefings and workshops is that when the matter comes to council there is sometimes little discussion or debate.

I would prefer to see briefings and workshops in ‘open', with confidential briefings and workshops being the exception rather than the rule.