Gisborne letters: On leadership duplication; the roads are a mess; fury over rates

Totangi Rd at Ngatapa is a mess.

New body imposed on us, at what cost?

The creation of a Local Leadership Body (LLB) is yet another anti-democratic move imposed on ratepayers/taxpayers.

This has come about through a Treaty settlement, which our council is now enacting, without any apparent consultation of the wider public.

According to the Ngāi Tāmanuhiri Claim Settlement Act 2012, the LLB “must, [among various setting-up procedures] at its first meeting ... agree how the LLB will be administered; and how the costs associated with both the administration of the LLB and its operations will be met”.

In other words: how it will be run, and who will pay for the LLB’s activities and decisions.

Is this, in fact, a council within a council?

That only one section of the community has the right to choose half the members for the LLB seems wrong. Did this go to any kind of democratic vote, or was the choice made by an “in-group”?

Again, ratepayers may not agree with the council’s choice of representatives for this “committee”.

It would appear from the wording of the act that the LLB has policy-making power – does that override the district council?

And, how much is all this extra “stuff” going to cost, especially as it seems the LLB has the authority to commit its own spending?

Many people are struggling with rates as it is.

This seems like another unnecessary, costly, imposed and additional layer to the district’s administration. And it could slow council down further by creating extra hui and less do-ey – another hurdle to negotiate.

To put it bluntly, I just see more hands dipping into the ratepayers’ pockets.

I may be a single voice in the wilderness, but I am concerned at the way things are heading.

Roger Handford

Call this a road?

I wish to highlight a long-standing situation on another of our country roads.

The state of Totangi Rd, half a kilometre in from the Wharekopae Road, is unacceptable to all traffic – whether by foot, motor vehicle or winged.

Repeated requests to open up the blocked roadside drains and add some metal on the road have fallen on deaf ears.

One has to crawl in and out of potholes and craters, swerving from left to right, sloshing along through the lakes and on muddy verges on dry days and on wet days!!

The remaining 17km are in a holey state, requiring severe damage control to bodies and vehicles.

Rita Barclay

Agree, stop this project

Re: Stop Grey St trial, return funds – May 22 letter.

A succinct and informative submission. I concur and agree that this ridiculous project should be stopped before any further funds are wasted.

It’s interesting to note that the “green” aspect was quoted as part of the reason this project should proceed. I’m struggling to reconcile that with the extra distances fossil-fuelled vehicles must now travel in order to circumvent the Kahutia St closure.

Lance Stopford

Fury over rates

A point made in my written submission to the council’s Three-Year Plan, supporting the increase in the forestry rate, was reported in Tuesday’s Gisborne Herald.

I did not mention forestry in my verbal submission - what I expressed was that I am furious GDC is raising our rates 30 per cent over the next three years.

I am in disbelief that our debt is $147 million and expected to climb to $248 million over the next six years. Just imagine what this debt servicing will cost us!

And what about the hardship it is causing on our community!?

Barbara Callender