Editorial: Time to decide raft of issues

The huge amount of community support for the project became apparent when the council decided not to fund it. Photo / George Novak

Next week will be a week of big decisions. The issues set out for Tauranga City councillors are a mixed bag.

I'm pleased to see council staff taking a proactive approach to making the Omokoroa to Tauranga cycleway a reality.

The huge amount of community support for the project became apparent when the council decided not to fund it.

Next week they will consider whether to reverse their decision but it will not be the same plan set before them.

Councillors did not want to spend the $500,000 needed for the trail so a new route has been proposed.

The new plan will still see cyclists ride through beautiful country to get from Omokoroa in to the city but will cost less and also provide the option to have the cycleway link up with a planned walkway along the side of the Wairoa River.

This is exactly how the council should operate.

Instead of just dumping an important community project, with huge public interest, it should be considering how else to achieve the same outcome for less.

Reversing its decision and agreeing to fund the cycleway in its original form would also not be a great option, as councillors clearly agreed there was not enough money available to do so.

The new suggestion looks to me like a win-win.

Reconsidering the decision freezing funding for new books for the city libraries is also a positive move.

On the other hand, councillors will also consider putting $40,000 toward a community survey to gauge community support for a museum, because it would require ongoing operational funding from the council to keep it running.

Personally, I'm all for a museum and have no problem with some of the city's rates going toward the running of it.

It has been a contentious issue, so I understand the reluctance of the councillors to make a decision without the support of the community, but $40,000 for a survey does seem a waste.

Surely there is a way to gauge community support for far less than $40,000.

I would rather see the money spent on actually getting something done.