Taupo Council admits errors

A Taupo District Council staff error means almost 200 submissions on the controversial decision to close Kinloch Reserve to cars were not considered.

Council chief executive Gareth Green confirmed there had been ‘‘a very real process error’’ in which 173 public submissions on the recent decision to close the reserve to cars were not included for councillor’s to consider.

Green said the issue came to light after Kinloch property owner Larry Grigg wrote to council.

‘‘We were approached by Larry Grigg who noticed his, and others, submissions were not on the agenda item,’’ he said.

‘‘After investigating the incident we discovered that was the case and there were 173 submissions that were not included.’’

Green said the online submissions process does work, and has been used correctly in the past, but human error occurred.

‘‘We checked other occasions we used the online form and there were no other issues found,’’ he said.

Had the information been included, it could have been a game changer.

Analysis of the missing submissions changes the statistics dramatically and skews public opinion so that the majority of submitters now want to see the reserve road extended and a chain at the end of the road blocking traffic removed.

The advice given in December by council officers was the majority of people wanted the chain to remain in place.

Green said, as a result, the agenda item will have to be put back in front of councillors for reconsideration at the upcoming February meeting.

The member’s motion to revoke the December decision to close Kinloch to cars will also be included.

Larry Grigg, the man who first raised the issue with council, could not believe how many submissions had been left out.

‘‘I’m laying on the floor,’’ he said. ‘‘That’s unbelievable.’’

‘‘It thought there might be 50 or so.

‘‘I knew something was wrong because I could download my submission but it was not included in print.’’

Kinloch property owner John Wordsworth hopes council will work with residents to get a good outcome for everyone in the district.

‘‘There were 173 submissions that were not included,’’