Former Rotorua mayor Grahame Hall (left) and Rotorua MP Todd McClay. Photo / File
Former Rotorua mayor Grahame Hall (left) and Rotorua MP Todd McClay. Photo / File
Rotorua MP Todd McClay and former mayor Grahame Hall are calling for an independent review into Rotorua Lakes Council, with Hall saying in his view it would be "money well spent".
But Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick says council chief executive Geoff Williams has her "total confidence", and that a lot had changed in local government, which required new ways of doing things to meet community needs.
Hall told Local Democracy Reporting today he believed it was "time councillors pushed for an independent review of the council".
Hall had concerns about rates, spending and transparency, as well as whether Rotorua needed seven deputy chief executives.
An independent review, such as one Wellington City Council had this year, would probably cost just under $100,000 and would be "money well spent", Hall said.
"An independent review of [the] council would confirm the organisation is on the right track, or it would put them on the right track.
"I think our community has the right to have that. It would give confidence to a whole lot of unhappy ratepayers."
Hall, mayor from 1992 to 2004, said he had been "drawn out" to comment on the council because he was "so concerned".
"I can't sit back and say nothing.
"People come up and talk to me about the council, it's such a mess. It's got to the stage where it's so bad.
Former Rotorua mayor Grahame Hall. Photo / File
In his opinion: "It's a slippery slope and it's going down."
He said he had "no axe to grind".
He believed "there are some good things happening but it's being overwhelmed behind the scenes, like a tidal wave ... going to crash down on us."
McClay said he had received a lot of emails and calls from ratepayers over the past day about the seven deputies.
"As a ratepayer, I'm deeply concerned my rates are going up at least 9 per cent next year and there's not a single project in Rotorua that seems close to completion.
"When Tauranga has no deputy chief executives, why does Rotorua need one, let alone seven?"
He said local and central government needed to be responsible about spending and be open and transparent to ratepayers and taxpayers.
"This is feeling like the Government - lots of spending, lots of announcements, lots of bureaucrats and not a lot of progress."
He said he supported the call for an independent review into the council "to see exactly what's happening and why, so ratepayers can have confidence in their council".
Chadwick said she was "working with those who can support the changes needed to get things done".
"People are entitled to their views but things have changed a lot in local government over the years, and continue to change.
"This requires new thinking and new ways of doing things to deliver the outcomes our community needs."
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick. Photo / File
Williams was approached for comment but a council spokeswoman said he had "no comment to add".
Williams had previously said it would be "unrealistic" to expect the organisation to stay the same, and the organisation realignment had been "highly consultative" internally.
He said the appointment of the seven deputy chief executives meant "enhanced accountability" and was aimed at focusing on outcomes rather than functions.
"This is an exciting opportunity for us to create a more adaptable and responsive organisation that is capable of delivering real value for our community, in a highly uncertain environment."
The Tauranga City Council also had an independent review last year, by a team led by Winder, after concerns about infighting among elected members and decision-making.
As a result, Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta removed the elected members and appointed a four-person commission to govern the council.
