Taxi fares and breakfast meetings: How much do our Tauranga and Western Bay mayors spend?

Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless. Photo / File

The expenses incurred by a city's mayor while in office are regularly subject to public scrutiny. With this year's local body elections nearing and incumbent mayors seeking re-election, a magnifying glass has been put over their expense card transactions and reimbursements. We look at the expenses Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty mayors have incurred in the last three years and how they compare with other mayors of similar-sized cities.

Taxi fares, fuel cards, Koru Club memberships and breakfasts at local cafes are just some of what the Tauranga and Western Bay mayors have spent money on in the last three years.

Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless' expenses totalled $2211.91 between November 2016 and April 2019, while Western Bay of Plenty Mayor Garry Webber spent $11,448.42.

The mayors' credit, debit and purchase card transactions and reimbursements have been released to the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union and the Bay of Plenty Times under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act.

A $417.39 Koru Club membership had the highest price tag for Greg Brownless.

That was followed by $303.62 and $234.78 for accommodation while attending sister city conferences on two separate occasions.

Other expenses included $179.17 for accommodation while attending the House of the Year awards in Taupō and $130.43 for an APEC overseas travel card.

Cleaning the mayoral chains cost $52.17, while a $35.80 taxi fare was racked up on a two-day conference in Invercargill.

No credit card has been issued to Brownless since his appointment in October 2016 and there were no transactions worth more than $1000.

Brownless said he was confident his spending was at the lower end of the scale.

"I try and be frugal," he said. "Obviously there are some things that I have to spend... But I am not a big spender."

Western Bay of Plenty Mayor Garry Webber. Photo / File

Western Bay Mayor Garry Webber's biggest expense was $8983.39 spent on a BP fuel card for the mayoral vehicle.

There was also a $549.83 bill for an end of year function lunch for 20 councillors at Oak Tree Restaurant and $521.74 for a dinner for six at Auckland's Euro Bar during a Local Government NZ conference.

Alimento Eatery was also the cafe of choice for breakfast meetings with the "mayor and chair" and one with Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller.

The Western Bay mayor did not have a council credit or purchase card and there were no expense transactions more than $1000.

Webber declined to comment further on his expenses, saying it was "just part of the role".

New Zealand Taxpayers' Union researcher Luke Redward said the information was sent to all major urban councils and did not include the overall mayoral office expenses.

Redward said each council response was slightly different and showed different protocols and procedures.

"For example, the Mayor of Tauranga doesn't claim flights on his expense card whereas the Mayor of Hamilton does," he said.

"...Not all mayors include transport costs in their expense records like Mayor Webber has."

In addition to Mr Brownless' spending $2824, Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick's total expenses were $5579.

"Compared with similar-sized councils that we asked, they appear frugal," Redward said.

"For example, the Mayor of Hamilton spent $7125 and the Mayor of Nelson spent $10,112."

Matua Residents' Association president Richard Kluit said ratepayers were pleased with the transparency and accountability of disclosing mayoral expenses.

Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick said any expenses incurred have been part of mayoral duties.

"We are all very careful about spending. It's all subject to public scrutiny and audit and that's how it should be."

Tauranga Mayor - Greg Brownless:

Koru Club membership $417.39
Koru Club membership $417.39
Apec card for overseas travel $130.79
Accommodation for sister city conference $234.78
Cleaning of mayoral chains $52.17
Zone 2 meeting accommodation $204.34
Freshwater Symposium attendance $236.82
Accommodation for sister city conference $303.62
Accommodation for House of Year awards in Taupo $179.17
Taxi far expense claim $35.80
Total: $2211.91

Western Bay of Plenty Mayor - Garry Webber

Conference expenses:
$809.12
Mayoral expenses:
SmartGrowth dinner and lunch meetings $174.87
Alimento cafe breakfast meetings $271.22
Oak Tree Restaurant lunch for 20 at end of year function $549.83
La Cloche Wellington breakfast meeting $20.87
Taxi fares $118.78
Charley Noble Restaurant Wellington Dinner meeting $243.04
Travelling expenses:
Matakana Ferry $21.74
Civic receptions:
Good Local thank you lunch $142.17
Tangata whenua partnership forum meeting $113.39
Mayoral vehicle BP fuel card $8,983.39
Total: $11,448.42