Editorial: We are being held to ransom

Lifeguards are intrinsically important to our beaches.

It seems these days that a minority can exercise will in the city simply because they use formal measures.

From wanting to cut down pohutakawa trees to criticising Owen Dippie murals, there are some that find displeasure in what most find pleasurable.

Whingebagging reached new heights last week with news that following a complaint, the future of the annual roadside collection by the Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service hung in the balance.

Following the complaint in January, Tauranga City Council told the Lifeguard Service to no longer solicit for donations from people who were in their vehicles.

Judging by comments on this story and on the Bay of Plenty Times Facebook page while there were some that agreed with this, many thought it was mean spirited. In a Bay of Plenty Times online poll, more than 75 per cent thought the lifesavers should be able to make collections.

While some pointed out it was not fair that all organisations could not do roadside collection, surely our lifesavers deserve some special dispensation.

They are intrinsic to our region, local heroes and we rely on their goodwill, many as volunteers, to keep our beaches safe. And it is only once a year.

So I am glad that in this case reason seems to have prevailed and the council has said it would help the Lifeguard Service develop a "traffic management plan" for their fundraising activity.

Council team leader of bylaws and parking Stuart Goodman said the solution was reached to find a balance between safety requirements without compromising the collection efforts.

Great news and a win for both sides. I only wish Stuart Goodman was also in charge of trees and could reach similar solutions to save our city's treescape from those who moan about the leaves.