Our Place to go, hanging baskets safe . . . for now
Community to be consulted over council’s cull list
Tauranga’s elected members have voted to can CBD container village Our Place — by the narrowest of margins. Tauranga City Council last night debated at length the merits and costs behind 11 items on a proposed cull list it could potentially afford to lose in the wake of Covid-19.
The council’s executive recommended a package of proposed cuts — also covering staffing and capital costs — that would bring the average rates rise down to 4.9 per cent from the previous drafted 7.6 per cent.
Staff also recommended putting parking machines at boat ramps — at a cost of $50,000-$100,000 — in the hope of collecting an extra $100,000 in revenue next year, and $400,000 a year thereafter.
The final item of the list was the closure of the Our Place site, a hub of live entertainment, food and drink in the heart of the CBD.
Those who voted against removing it were councillors Jako Abrie, Larry Baldock, Andrew Hollis, Heidi Hughes and Dawn Kiddie. Those in favour were Kelvin Clout, Bill Grainger, Steve Morris, Tina Salisbury and mayor Tenby Powell. Councillor John Robson abstained, saying he wanted to hear what the community thought.
Community consultation on last night’s decisions is expected to held within the next few weeks.
As a dead tie, Powell’s vote became the casting vote and the motion to include Our Place’s closure — subject to consultation — was carried.
Baldock said Our Place had done a lot to bring vibrancy to the CBD and the idea it would become an empty space at this time was concerning.
Hughes said it seemed a shame to close Our Place while the council was keen to retain hanging baskets.
The council also voted to keep the $61,000 to fund the tropical display house in Robbins Park and the $89,000 budget for hanging flower baskets in the city centre.
Clout and Abrie were the only two to vote in favour of keeping the items on the cull list.
Robson said the hanging baskets had a lot of support.
“If we did remove the hanging baskets, I think the community would replace them with hanging councillors.”
Powell was in favour of retaining the baskets.
“We are getting to the point of stripping the city bare of all of its beauty and I think there are limits.”
However, Clout felt $89,000 for the baskets seemed to be a huge expense. He shared the same sentiment regarding the tropical house, which he suggested a volunteer group could potentially be interested in taking over.
“I support removing it. We put this decision off about three years ago and yes, we did get an army of supporters coming in. I’d be interested to see what the the level of support was as vigorous as it was then.”
Abrie said: “If we are serious about trying to reduce rates, all these small things add up.”
Councillors spoke at length about seeking feedback from the community.
Salisbury said items such as the hanging baskets and tropical display house were there for the community, so it was important to include it.
Other items on the list included the proposed closure of Our Place and the boat ramps parking charges. At time of writing, councillors were still discussing the proposed resolutions.
Meanwhile, Stewart told the Bay of Plenty Times she was delighted at the outcome of the meeting.
“This time with the CBD, after Covid-19, and with so many vacant offices, colour is needed more than ever down there.”
The meeting was still in progress as this edition went to press.