Chief exec’s departure raises lots of questions

I READ with some surprise and concern of the resignation of the Otago Regional Council chief executive Sarah Gardner (ODT, 12.5.22).

All the fluffy comments around this sudden departure, the leaving of the organisation in ‘‘good heart’’ smells of confidentiality agreements and an arranged departure.

What has Sarah Gardner done to create a situation where some past and present councillors see her departure as a huge loss, with others not wanting to comment.

What is being discussed in the publicly excluded meetings explained as governance proposals?

Proof of the dysfunction between council and council executives was the appointment of an external mediator to restore the relationship between council and council executives (reported in March).

My understanding of governance is to ensure accountability, compliance, and to determine strategy.

At the same time not stepping into the operational areas but maintaining a respect for the expertise and knowledge of the executive working for the organisation.

It appears that councillors are frustrating the operational management of the ORC.

What is the task at hand?

The ORC has been tasked in November 2019 by the Minister of the Environment to establish a fitforpurpose freshwater planning framework that reflects central government guidelines and establishes a framework for assessing all water consent applications, including those that are to replace deemed permits.

Despite the good intentions of councillors to serve the public interest, they need to work with the experts employed by the ORC to achieve this task.

Unless the intention is not to deliver, ask for extensions and wait for a change of central government.

Helensburgh

Portobello speed limits

IN response to Dunedin City Council group manager Jeanine Benson (Letters, 11.5.22), who justifies the new speed limits on Portobello Rd by relying on overall accident figures for Dunedin.

According to NZTA data there has not been a fatal accident on Otago Peninsula roads for 22 years.

The last serious harm accident on these roads was seven years ago.

These are the relevant figures to use when discussing new speed limits on this particular road.

To rely on overall figures is disingenuous.

The changes to the speed limits have, since their implementation, anecdotally created unsafe driving practices with people passing other cars doing the required 40kmh in an unsafe manner.

This is simply counterproductive. What I can’t understand is why it’s considered ‘‘safe’’ to travel at 80kmh on Highcliff Rd, dropping to 50kmh once you reach Waverley/Shiel Hill which has as hazards multiple driveways and intersections.

I fully support lower speed limits in school and village areas but what has been implemented goes way beyond this.

When all roads in the wider Dunedin area also are reduced perhaps I might believe the real intention is safety.

Until then this is just people who don’t actually use the road making decisions without listening to the community who uses this road daily, and for the most part safely, as is shown by the data above.

The very information that was provided as part of the community board’s submission to the DCC.

Broad Bay

IN recognition of the importance of readers’ contributions to the letters page, the newspaper each week selects a Letter of the Week with a book prize courtesy of Penguin Random House. This week’s winner is Graham Bulman, of Dunedin, for a letter about Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt’s future. The prize is a copy of A Slow

Fire Burning, Paula Hawkins. The winning letter was published last Monday.