Council expenses

The Mail’s excellent editorial (August 4) notes the dysfunctional operation of Nelson council. We understand that councillors are allocated ratepayer funds for travel and other expenses, and that the allocation is increased once a significant limit is reached.

Moreover, the mayor and apparently senior staff are using ratepayer-funded credit cards. Next time they use these, they might consider those constituents working two jobs to keep up with their rate increases that are well above inflation. The ratepayers are entitled to know what type of expenditure these credit cards can be used for as well as what level of expenditure the cards allow. Council exists to serve the people, not the other way around. asked the council for support. They would have debated the matter and reached a decision. There is much to debate about such a move and most of it has little to do with personality politics.

She is paid to be a full time mayor, are things so under control that she can spend a great deal of time away? How would she handle conflicts of interest if local priorities diverge from national ones? These and other matters needed to be discussed and resolved and it was her job to see that they were. It seems she just assumed that the apparent honour of a new role justified support.

This looks very like an ‘‘own goal’’ and not a case of loyalties. As you suggest, loyalty to Nelson may well entail having a full-time mayor on the job. and can’t also be a candidate/MP for the Greens and effectively and impartially do both. This, together with their devious actions with Luke Acland and Brian McGurk regarding attempting to block their boss from becoming the head of the advocacy body for New Zealand councils seems almost treason. They obviously don’t support our mayor and that is another reason they must go now. of NZ citizens?