Elms Foundation endorses giving 11 Mission St to ŌtamatahaTrust

11 Mission St is a 1400sq m section valued at $1m and next door to The Elms. Graphic / Tauranga City Council

The Elms Foundation has endorsed giving 11 Mission St to the ŌtamatahaTrust.

The Tauranga City Council passed a resolution by a one-vote majority last week to give the 1400sq m section to the Māori trust if the Elms endorsed it, and the two parties agreed to a long-term lease for The Elms.

Foundation chairman Ian Thomas said the board voted to endorse the transfer in a meeting today.

In a council meeting tomorrow, however, some elected members are expected to push for the resolution to be overturned. Others have said the decision should stand.

Read more: 'Unacceptable': Legal action threatened over omitted information in council's Mission St decision

Councillor Rich Curach was the swing vote on the issue last week, supporting giving the land to the trust with The Elms' endorsement.

Todayhe said he now supported giving the land to The Elms directly because last week's decision was not based on complete information.

Council staff have acknowledged they should have included more information about The Elms' preferences in their report.

Curach said the only way to be 100 per cent sure The Elms - which officially remained neutral - was comfortable with the lease arrangement was to gift the land to The Elms, which was then free to hand it on to the trust.

The meeting will start at 9am in the council's chambers.