Current council to meet for final time

Glenys Searancke will attend her final Rotorua Lakes Council meeting after 30 years representing Rotorua's ratepayers.

Members of Rotorua Lakes Council will meet officially for the final time before October's elections when long serving councillor Glenys Searancke will bow out after 30 years serving the community.

Tomorrow's meeting agenda reveals councillors will be presented with a report regarding the preparation of the council's annual report for the 2015/16 financial year by chief financial officer Thomas Colle.

The annual report is expected to be released after the election by the incoming council of 10 councillors and a mayor.

The council is also expected to rubber stamp decisions made at previous committee meetings concerning the running of the council's day to day operations before the new council is sworn in, the transfer of Tamatea St to Te Tahuna Trust, a land exchange on Pererika St, a contract update for the library and children's health hub project and the adoption of the council's new Solid Waste Bylaw.

The council will then move into a confidential session where councillors will discuss the selection of independent commissioners for Resource Management Act hearings, amendments to the Rotorua District Plan and changes to admission charges for the Polynesian Spa.

Mrs Searancke said she was not feeling sad about her final meeting, after being elected in 1986.

"I guess at this time I'm happy to be finishing up.

"It hasn't been a pleasant three years and I'm left with a bit of sadness in the way I ended up losing the positions I worked hard so on.

"But, there is relief I'm finishing.

"Time really does fly after I was elected in 1986.

"I stood not thinking I would get on the first time, but being involved in a large number of community organisations I was well enough known at that time.

"This was in the days of us having 20 councillors and a mayor. The pay rates were very small, there was no such thing as a salary. We got about $50 a meeting and if you didn't turn up you weren't paid."

Mrs Searancke said she felt the level of debate in the council chamber had fallen away over the years.

"It certainly doesn't seem to be the same it used to be."

The Rotorua Daily Post will be catching up with Mrs Searancke after tomorrow's meeting for a full interview about her time on council.