Learn from mistakes
Everyone makes mistakes, and I feel for those staff at the council who are responsible for the huge loss to ratepayers.
I don’t think they should lose their jobs.
The most intelligent people I know are the one’s who have learnt from their mistakes.
This is a Governance issue, an issue of leadership at the council.
I think this error plus a wide range of questionable spending needs to be investigated by an independent commissioner, similar to what is happening in Kaipara.
Although we have a healthy bank account it seems the things that are being passed in council show just how out of depth our councillors really are, and I feel for them but in order for transparency I believe a commissioner is the only solution as I have been told there are further questionable decisions being made.
The councillors seem like lovely people, they just are out of their depth.
I will pray for our council. (Abridged) M Smith Tokoroa district. We have obviously misplaced our trust in these persons who have collectively caused the rate payers to be liable for a bill (fine) of $380,230. However, I feel Justice Keane is no mathematical genius as (though I admit neither am I) one cannot claim for GST as part of a payment unless one has actually been paid or charged for a sum of money for work or services rendered. RAL did not receive payment (no work done) of $330,634 therefore Justice Keane has exacted an additional supposed cost that RAL never had to meet, and was therefore not entitled to.
One has to ask one’s self how the council can be so remiss as to fall foul of a contract that they themselves must have approved as being legal and fair to those who tendered. Somewhere someone for whatever reason slipped up badly and in my opinion should no longer be part of any future decision making on behalf of SWDC. R Freeman’s thoughts about those working for the council are totally relevant, however, I would not want to have to explain the actions of those I work for to those who have to pay for their inadequacies. J C Simcock
Tokoroa