Red tape frustrations

HCC’s mayor Andrew King, pictured, is being frustrated with undertaking significant restructuring due to reluctance of some councillors

(Waikato Times

15/11/18).

Information obtained under the Official

Information Act shows that council currently employ 1169 staff.

These staff have developed the art of mis-informing councillors on key issues. The council minutes of August 2018 show that 99.2% of building consents are granted within the statutory time lines of 20 working days.

However, information obtained under an OIA request shows that in 2018 57% of permits were placed on hold during those 20 working days.

The District Plan is over 900 pages long. HCC currently employs 33 planners with 23 in the Guidance Unit.

The average salary of planners is $87,000 pa. The District Plan is little more than a gravy train for planning employers.

In the last three years, HCC have collected over $6 million in resource consent fees. The salary for the planners, in the Guidance Unit over the same three years is nearly $6 million. Rob Pascoe has consistently voted against red tape reductions yet to my knowledge he has never undertaken a development personally.

Is he looking after the best interest of Ratepayer of Hamilton or protecting HCC staff?

Colin Jones, Hamilton