Inner-city work has progressed

When it comes to the progress made on Invercargill’s inner-city development, SoRDS governance group chairman Tom Campbell say the results speak for themselves.

Parts of an email, by a Southland Chamber of Commerce member, sent to other chamber members in March, is highly critical of the Invercargill City Council and Tim Shadbolt relating to inner-city development.

Yesterday, The Southland Times asked the chamber what its position was on the performance of the city council in regards to the inner-city development, what role the chamber has had in fostering inner-city development in recent years, whether Venture Southland has been effective in achieving the goals it was established for, whether the chamber agrees with the establishment of the new regional development agency and what role the chamber might have in it, whether an increased focus on tourism will be beneficial to the inner city and whether there is a division within the chamber regarding the criticism of the mayor and the city council relating to the inner-city development?

Southland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Sheree Carey declined to comment and said its president, Carla Forbes, would make a statement when she returns from overseas toward the end of the month.

Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt could not be reached for comment.

Campbell said the email contro- versy was ‘‘a storm in a teacup’’.

‘‘I just wish people would move on.

‘‘I think, frankly, it’s a waste of time, we have more important things to be focusing on.’’

With regards to the key projects the council had been involved in, Campbell said significant progress had been made.

‘‘When SoRDS launched, from our perspective Invercargill’s rejuvenation was the most important project.

‘‘We made a priority list of three things, a new hotel, a new retail precinct, and an art gallery in the centre of the city

‘‘If you look at the progress of these three things in particular, SoRDS are very satisfied that those have moved forward exactly the way we would have hoped.’’

Campbell said judging by results, the council ‘‘good progress’’.

‘‘If we judge it on the basis of those three priority projects, its actually moved pretty fast.’’

However, Campbell said the next phase of the project, establishing a new organisation to implement the strategy, was critical to its success.

‘‘When we talked about passing the baton at the launch – we didn’t mean that day – but that time has arrived,’’ he said.

‘‘It absolutely needs to be up and running by the end of the year.

‘‘The SoRDS mandate has come to an end and it needs that new organisation to carry the project forward.

‘‘We’re keen to see the four councils work together to determine what the shape of that organisation will be.’’ had made