Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless raises concerns over political bias by ratepayer-funded organisation

Tauranga mayoral candidate Tenby Powell and his campaign manager Sally Cooke. Photo / File

Mayor Greg Brownless has raised concerns about the impartiality of Downtown Tauranga after an email was sent advising its members of a meet-and-greet with mayoral candidate Tenby Powell.

The comments were made at a meeting yesterday between the council and Downtown Tauranga, which operates as a mainstreet organisation representing retailers in the city centre.

Downtown Tauranga receives funding from the Tauranga City Council through a targeted rate on properties within the CBD area. This year it has received $375,519 excluding GST.

Yesterday , the organisation's spokeswoman Sally Cooke and chairman Brian Berry were presenting at the council meeting on a submission asking for money to help rejuvenate some of the city centre's vacant shops and spaces.

Mayor Greg Brownless questioned whether Downtown Tauranga had the complete support of its about 650 members regarding the submission. He further explained he wanted to know whether there were any concerns the organisation might have a political bias.

Councillor Steve Morris then said he wanted to know whether Downtown Tauranga had used its resources for a mayoral contender in their campaign "because Downtown Tauranga is a rates funded organisation and I've been told ... there has been improper use of those funds".

Cooke is also the campaign manager for Tauranga mayoral candidate Tenby Powell.

The question asked by Brownless was not answered, but Cooke said there was no political bias and she had operated as a mainstreet representative, comparing her actions to that of other Tauranga mainstreet managers who she said have done likewise.

After the meeting, Cooke told the Bay of Plenty Times the query was regarding Downtown Tauranga sending an invitation to members to an evening with Powell, "as we would if any political candidate came to us".

Cooke said the email clearly stated at the bottom that Downtown Tauranga was A-political and that the content was from Powell, not the organisation.

A copy of the invitation sighted by the Bay of Plenty Times invited members to RSVP to a Downtown Tauranga email address. Cooke could not be reached for a response to this.

Tauranga's electoral officer Warwick Lampp told the Bay of Plenty Times after the meeting he had received a query about the connection between Downtown Tauranga and a candidate's campaign.

He said he had not yet looked into the query or determined whether there was any substance to it.

He said the query did not relate to improper use of funds.

Berry said the organisation absolutely had no political bias. He acknowledged there was a campaign for the mayoralty "but that has nothing to do with what we do for Downtown Tauranga".

It is understood there is concern among some Downtown Tauranga members at what they believe is a conflict of interest.

Powell said he also asked other mainstreet organisations to send out similar emails.

"Sally Cooke is the consummate professional. Her company Tuskany has the contract for Downtown Tauranga. She keeps that contract entirely separate from each and every one of her clients, including me," Powell said.