No tenders for the toilet upgrade

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

The proposed $400,000 upgrade of the Peel Street toilets is presenting a dilemma.

Gisborne District Council has been unable to attract a tender for the work.

The Future Tairawhiti Committee agreed to recommend that the council carry over the $400,000 to this year but a number of councillors are adamant they will be opposed to any cost increase.

The committee was told no tenders were received when the tender process closed in March.

In early April, the council engaged with four local contractors and one responded. Council staff were working with the only interested contractor.

The original programme had a project completion date of June 30. If the budget was carried forward, the date would be moved to before Christmas.

Andy Cranston said if the council was struggling to get a contractor, in his view they would have to look at alternative uses for the building.

While it was being carried over, he certainly would not vote for spending more than $400,000.

Shannon Dowsing favoured rescoping within the present budget rather than coming up with an alternative plan.

Mayor Meng Foon said anything that diverted from it being a public toilet would have to go through a consultation process.

“I am wondering if Gisborne Holdings can help,” he said.

They were struggling with the Te Puia building (the former Waiapu County Council base) and the council was struggling with its small projects. He wondered if the two combined would give a builder a big enough job.

GHL had been waiting for a builder for the Te Puia Springs building for some time.

Pat Seymour said she did not believe the council should get into a discussion on this.

It could carry the project over to the new year.