Opinions pour in on Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust cheque controversy

TECT general manager Wayne Werder and operations and grants manager Paula Hudson with some of the boxes of submissions received on TECT's restructuring proposal. Photo/supplied

An estimated 21,000 submissions have been received from Bay Trustpower customers on the controversial proposal to phase out TECT cheques.

Assuming there was a lot of crossover, at least one in every five Trustpower customers has lodged submissions with the Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust (TECT) and Trustpower.

A bitter war of words erupted earlier this week between Trustpower and its minority shareholder TECT over the proposal.

Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust (TECT) general manager Wayne Werder said yesterday that more than 12,000 submissions had been received, with more expected before submissions closed at 4pm today. "The trustees are pleased at the high level of public engagement."

TECT was consulting on the proposal to put the income generated from its 26 per cent shareholding in Trustpower into a charitable trust for distribution to community organisations.

It has offered Trustpower customers in the Western Bay a one-off compensation cheque of $2500 and a further five cheques of $360 a year.

Werder said that while Trustpower's alternative submission process had "clearly generated some confusion", TECT would ensure that the views of all submitters in both processes were taken into account.

Trustpower chief executive Vince Hawksworth did not accept that their submission process had created confusion but argued it had helped people formulate their views.

He said Trustpower had received about 4500 electronic submissions and slightly more on paper.

Hawksworth said it would be guessing to say that the people who submitted to TECT were the same people who submitted to Trustpower.

Werder said trustees were looking forward to hearing from people who also wanted to put their views in person. The Village Cinema at the Historic Village had been booked for four days this month for verbal submissions.

He said the volume of submissions and suggestions meant that trustees would extend their deliberations on the feedback. A decision on the next steps in the process would be made in the week beginning March 19.

Werder said it was important to remember that TECT's consultation had not been a yes/no vote. "The views we have received to date will greatly assist the trustees as they deliberate the appropriate next steps."

If trustees agreed to proceed with a final proposal, it will then be put to a formal vote for all consumers. "It is TECT consumers who will decide on the final proposal," he said.

Hawksworth said he was not particularly surprised by the high numbers of submitters because it was a very significant proposal.

He said it was a credit to the trustees that they would take all views into account.

"I don't think we should be worried about the timing but more concerned about getting a considered decision on what the trust intends to do next."

Meanwhile SociaLink, representing about 260 of Tauranga's social sector organisations, said yesterday that the social sector and community organisations were "broadly very supportive" of the TECT proposal to transfer the assets to the Tauranga Energy Charitable Trust.

SociaLink general manager Liz Davies said the sector recognised the huge value these funds would have on everyone in the community by way of increased services and facilities.

"The social sector identified lack of funding as one of the key issues they face."

Verbal submissions on TECT proposal
Where: Village Cinema, Tauranga Historic Village
When: March 7 (3pm-8pm), March 8 (9.30am-1.30pm), March 9 (9am-5pm)
Additional Day if needed: March 12 (10am-4pm)