Letters: Council's PR plan wrong

PHOTO/FILE

Keith Garrett's opinion (Letters December 19) avoids the fact that Steve Chadwick and most of her incumbent supporters on council suffered negative swings between 22-30 per cent at the last election. The RDRR-endorsed candidates were delighted by the votes they attracted but then appalled by the marginalisation of councillors Bentley and Kumar.

Mr Garrett calls me a hypocrite because I accused the council of spin doctoring. He avoids another fact; the mayor and council have a Communication Plan intended to steer public opinion. The online video recording of the 15 December Council meeting (1.41.08 - 1.44.41) confirms its existence.

It also confirms that Councillor Maxwell (-23 per cent swing) wants the council's PR department to be able to instantly rebut all letters to editors that are "not helping us". The mayor agreed, saying that "councillors need to be reassured" by the Communication Plan being "more proactive rather than reactive", and although "it seems to be indefensible" for council officers to defend [the Plan], "we need to know as a council that we are front-footing the information and leading the media".

Wrong. The mayor and councillors should stop using rates to manipulate public opinion. It is immoral and futile. Highly informed letters to the editor are constantly outflanking their spin.

One solution is to give the ratepayers a Christmas present by discharging the PR team, retiring debt, and in the New Year, have the mayor and councillors speak to the media.

[Abridged]
REYNOLD MACPHERSON
Rotorua

Congratulations to the Rotorua Lakes Council for recent upgrades.

Smallbone Park looks so refreshing and pleasant to behold following the removal of the Devon St hedge and installation of a sturdy low rail wooden fence barrier. Also after almost a year of requests a bus stop has been installed halfway up Otonga Rd that will help people of Nikau St by the walkway and residents nearby.

It would be of further wonder if the Smallbone Park Pond was restored to its original duck pond environment as the council motto is care of the environment. It is so overgrown with metre high reeds and choked up.

Requests over the years to no avail. Hopefully the new council will rise to the occasion. Similarly removal of the giant eucalyptus block in the reserve adjacent to Otonga School.

ALAN LORD
Rotorua