City council and Three Waters restructuring
ANY perception that any particular councillor, more than any other, is ‘‘fighting for the ratepayers’’ regarding water infrastructure ownership is false — they don't have the power to. Even the whole council has no power over the proposed restructuring.
The Dunedin City Council can only advocate for the city and, at a council meeting in 2021, it was agreed that the mayor should.
The DCC has always been unified in their view that they wanted more information and an opportunity for local consultation.
Councillors have disagreed only over how advocacy should be undertaken (whether to join Local Communities 4 Democracy) and, in the recent annual plan deliberations, whether halting already planned spending on water infrastructure might save money.
The majority view was to go ahead, correct in my opinion, since locals will pay regardless of ownership. Diane Yeldon
Kaikorai
Honesty both ways
HILARY Calvert (ODT, 26.5.22) asks the Government to ‘‘be honest about what it believes are the issues’’.
I ask the same question of her. What is her agenda in pushing for more delay when it comes to the Otago Regional Council carrying out its statutory function to protect our rivers — especially the Manuherikia?
And what ‘‘opaque’’ answers has she given about her own interests in protecting irrigators?
As she says ‘‘honesty in the issues is a vital first step’’ for me as I decide how to vote in the upcoming elections. Gio Angelo
Belleknowes
HURRAH! Hilary Calvert is back in the Otago Daily Times pages (ODT, 26.5.22).
An outstanding columnist with a computer ‘‘gizmo’’ as sharp as a knife driven by a mind like a razor. Jim Moffat
Caversham
Peninsula speed
IT was reported recently that there hasn't been a death on the peninsula roads for more than 20 years, yet the council thought in its wisdom that we should all drive at 40kmh just in case.
I don’t see 40kmh signs going up in those suburbs where there have been tragic accidents, so why are we being penalised?
The council said the signs were put up incorrectly but they are still there. When are they going to be relocated?
So not only are we paying for road signs we don’t need, but will now be paying for their removal.
Did I read somewhere that we are about to have a 6.5% hike on our rates?
Its about time we got rid of this council, so roll on the elections, as I for one won’t be voting for any of them. Peter Simkins
Broad Bay
Rushed agendas
I AM ashamed at the way the Dunedin City Council, as our representative, has chosen to bulldoze its agenda through big projects such as the proposed Smooth Hill project and other big sunblocking housing projects without proper, thorough, investigative process and actually listening to the environmental and peopleoriented protests of those affected.
Councillors, the only thing you have succeeded in doing is making yourselves look like idiots while being paid to do it. Susan Easterbrook
Dunedin