Category: Tauranga Council
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Cycle Lanes
The pedestrian and cycle way along marine parade. Fantastic. There are cycle ways and cycle ways. They are not all the same. I have received a query about cycle ways. Why on earth would you support more cycle lanes when the ones I see around the Mount are wide enough for a bus lane and…
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Lets Get Wellington Moving
Seagull Politics. This is an article I have submitted to City Watch NZ. See also my previous posts, A Flawed Governance Model and Performance Indicators Don’t Work. Councils all over New Zealand are having major problems. I have used Tauranga City Council as an example in my previous two articles. In this article I would…
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Tauranga Light Rail Network
The existing light rail track and central station at Memorial Park We already have an existing light rail transport system in Memorial Park. It just needs to be extended to cover the rest of the city. It is all run by volunteers from the Tauranga Model Marine & Engineering Club. We will need more train…
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Election Questions 3
Mount shops looking towards the Mount. Another query from a local resident. Do you support the addition of fluoride to the water? What is your stance on factory & port air pollution?Do you support high rise and multi story buildings in Mount Maunganui? Do you support building the new sport stadium in the Tauranga CBD?Do you support establishing connected commuter bike…
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Performance Indicators Don’t Work
Small boys need performance indiicators. This is an article I have submitted to City Watch NZ. See also my previous post, A Flawed Governance Model. Most people who are reading this can see that councils all over New Zealand are having major problems. In my opinion, a flawed governance model is the major cause of…
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A Flawed Governance Model
Who do we call when the council goes wrong? This is an article I have submitted to City Watch NZ. See also my following article Performance Indicators Don’t Work. You don’t have to look hard to notice that councils all over New Zealand are having major problems. And those same problems seem to repeat all…
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More Election Questions
The new rocket slide in Memorial Park. A lot flasher than the old rocket slide from my childhood. There is a new Humpty Dumpty as well. Another query from a local resident. Several questions there to answer so I will do my best. The three waters legislation gives the government the power to mandate water…
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Election Questions
Humpty Dumpty in Memorial Park. We used to have Humpty Dumpty and all the kings men on the wall beside the pump shed for the fountain. Now we have a new Humpty Dumpty all on his own. We also have a new rocket slide. Another query from a local resident. I’m so glad to read…
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Save Tauranga Public Meetings
John Robson and Garth Mathieson are holding public meetings to discuss Tauranga City Council’s out of control spending and debt. See the below flyer.
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Maori Wards
Maori carving beside state highway 29A overlooking Rangataua Bay. I have had a query about Maori wards. I am writing as you are running for Mayor of Tauranga. 1. Do you support the Coalition Government’s plan to have binding referenda about Maori wards? 2. Do you support or oppose Maori wards in Tauranga? I think…
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Mount North High Rise Meeting
A public meeting was held at the Mount Surf Club lat night, Tuesday 18th June regarding Plan Change 33 which allows high rise buildings up to 6 stories high (22 meters) in the Mount North area (between the Mount and Sutherland Ave). Photo from media release by Mount Matters (Mount Matters Facebook Page) . The…
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Finally My Signs Are Coming
After a few hiccups my signs are finally being printed. Up by the weekend I hope. Or: The sign design is by sign creations on Hewletts road, Mount Maunganui.
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It’s In The Ballot Papamoa 16 June
Photo Credit : Derrin Richards (Google Photos…) Five Papamoa Ward candidates turned up for the Papamoa Ward “Its In The Ballot” event on Sunday Evening 16th of July. Seated left to right: A Hard Hitting Question: Transparency And Accountability What steps will you take to make sure our local government is transparent and accountable? I…
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Welcome Bay Village
Welcome Bay from across the estuary. Taken from state highway 29A. I was at a candidates evening in Welcome Bay on Wednesday 12th of June. One of the topics that came up was that Welcome Bay has problems with traffic congestion, and no supermarket. There are historic and economic reasons for that, and the same…
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Top Three Priorities For 2024
This post is taken from an audience question at the Papamoa Residents and Ratepayers (PRRA) meeting for Arataki Ward candidates on Monday 10th of June (I have paraphrased the question). What are your top three priorities for the first six months after the election There is a lot of work for the incoming council to…
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Mount Township Building Heights
The magicians in charge of the Tauranga Council have performed yet another masterful illusion trick with their hat. A bit like the shell game scam. Consult on one thing, and then out of the hat comes a rabbit, a dove, and something completely different. The trouble is this is real life, not a magical show.…
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Boat Ramp Parking Fees
Boat ramp parking fees are being introduced on 1st of July. The council has a predicted budget deficit of $83.4 million for 2023-24. Perhaps that is why they are scrambling to raise extra revenue from the ratepayer charges, and or by selling assets like the marine precinct. The reason we pay rates is to provide…
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The Marine Precinct Has Been Sold
And just like that it’s gone. Council has sold the marine precinct to an unknown buyer for an unknown price (BOP Times). No warning, no discussion, no consultation. Just now you have it, and poof, suddenly just like that, it’s gone. And they can’t tell you the details because if they did they might look…
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Our Rates For 2034
The total average residential rates, including water and Regional Council rates by 2034 is estimated at approximately $12,000 per year, or higher. The average Tauranga City Council residential rates are approximately $3500. If we add average Regional Council rates (approx. $600), and average water rates (approx. $600), the total average residential rates for 2024 are…
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Too Many Consultants
More managers means more consultants. So where we have too many managers (seagulls), we also seem to have too many consultants (ducks), all looking for food (rates). In 2022-23 Tauranga City Council spent nearly $56million on consultants (LGOIMA request /2024/q4/150524). Airport 326,538 Animal Services 16,233 Arts & Culture 2,030,759 Asset Divestment and Leveraging 104,424 Asset…