Council divided on art centre

CONTENTIOUS: A model of the proposed Hundertwasser Art Centre.PHOTO/NZME

"Let's get on with it." The refrain that's echoed around Whangarei District Council for years in relation to the contentious Hundertwasser project was heard again when familiar battle lines formed in chambers this week.

The issue getting councillors hot under the collar was whether or not to entrust the old Harbour Board Building to Hundertwasser backers Whangarei Art Museum Trust for just $1 a year, under a lease agreement contingent on the remainder of the $16.25 million required for the project being raised by June 2017. Such peppercorn rentals were not unheard of for community groups. However, several councillors moved to stall the agreement, firstly councillor Tricia Cutforth who said any discussion should wait until funds were raised.

Irate pro-Hundertwasser councillors, among them councillor Crichton Christie, said it would be ridiculous to ask the trust to proceed with their fundraising without the certainty of a lease proposal.

"How do you tell a funder, 'I don't know if I've got the land yet but I want your money'?" Mr Christie said.

"This is another way of dragging [the centre] down and making the whole thing fall over."

Councillor Susy Bretherton said aspects of the lease needed strengthening to protect ratepayers from paying any more than the $2.98 million WDC had already agreed to contribute to the project.

Ms Bretherton said there should be clauses in the agreement around rent reviews, liability for structural repairs and carpark maintenance. This was seen as an "impediment" by others.

"Anything done to put an impediment in the way of this group is really unhelpful and to me it lacks integrity," said councillor Cherry Hermon.

To which Ms Bretherton responded that she had highlighted issues that could "come back to bite".

"I don't like my integrity being questioned. Why would you not want to protect the ratepayer as much as you can?"

Meanwhile, councillor Phil Halse bemoaned the fact that of 70 workshops the current council had held "this is what should have been workshopped".

Mayor Sheryl Mai said she had been advised that Prosper North trustees were in the midst of funding negotiations that could be jeopardised if the agreement was not finalised immediately. She rounded out the latest hour of Hundertwasser-related bickering by pointing out the document was an agreement, not a binding lease, was subject to a number of conditions, and had been reviewed by expert lawyers.

The $1 deal was done when councillors Cherry Hermon, Greg Innes, Sharon Morgan, Brian McLachlan, John Williamson, Crichton Christie, Sue Glen and Mayor Sheryl Mai voted to proceed with it. The decision was opposed by councillors Tricia Cutforth, Susy Bretherton and Stuart Bell.

Phil Halse, Shelley Deeming and Greg Martin abstained from voting.