Complaints made to Auditor General

The Office of the Auditor General is looking into complaints about the proposed sale of part of the Fitzroy Golf Course.

Stuff understands one complaint was about a proposal to amalgamate the Fitzroy and New Plymouth golf clubs to make way for the New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) to sell off part of the Fitzroy course for housing.

The Fitzroy Golf Club, which leases the land from the council, rejected the idea. When the club’s lease expires in 2023 the council is proposing to sell half the land for housing with half the proceeds going toward flagship projects, such as redeveloping the TSB Stadium. The other half of the proceeds would go towards longterm land redevelopment that would generate cash for future flagship projects.

The complaint about the amalgamation plan was originally made to the Serious Fraud Office, who advised the complainant to write to the Auditor General, a spokesman for the Office of the Auditor-General said.

‘‘We’re considering the issues raised as per our normal process, as set out on our website.’’

The Office of the Auditor General had also received letters about the NPDC’s consultation document on the 10 year plan, he said.

When the document was put before the council last month councillor Shaun Biesiek refused to approve it saying the auditor had had too much say.

His comments relate to the addition of the council’s preferred flagship project, redeveloping the TSB Stadium, which was added into the second version of the document. Biesiek said the council hadn’t discussed this.

The Office of the Auditor General’s spokesman said the auditor’s role involved reviewing the council’s consultation document, and the assumptions and other information that underlie the consultation document, to assess whether it provided an effective basis for public participation in the long-term planning process.

‘‘During the audit process, the council has the opportunity to revise its information based on the auditor’s review.’’