The meeting itself didn't invite much in conversation however, with much of the time spent receiving and adopting what Neil termed "a whole bundle of minutes" from previous meetings.
The biggest item on the agenda was the setting of rates, due dates and penalties regime for the coming year.
While it was called a decision report, it was more of an administrative report said Tiffany Radich, director of corporate services, when she introduced it.
"It enables us to be able to set the rates," she said, saying the report was a legal requirement following the adoption of the annual plan, which had been done earlier in the meeting following a recommendation made by the policy and services committee.
Cr Peter Dalziel took the opportunity to voice his disagreement with the rates increase, saying he had consistently argued against the increase throughout the discussions on the Annual Plan.
"I still don't agree with it. I won't be voting for it."
The rates increase of 4.3 per cent is a reduction of the pre-Covid planned increase of 5.72 per cent, but Cr Dalziel said he would prefer it had been a zero increase this year.
When it came to vote, the mayor and nine other councillors voted in favour with Cr Dalziel the sole vote against.
Speaking after the meeting, Cr Dalziel said he didn't support the increase, and was disappointed it was going ahead.
"I was disappointed with the lack of support around the table when it came to objecting. Even Central Government doesn't put tax rates up every year. We have got to find a different model going forward, we cannot just continue to increase rates every single year.
"Given the time we are in we should freeze rates. I am not suggesting we reduce staffing or the level of service council provides, but we should be looking at other ways to reduce costs to reduce the burden on our ratepayers right now."
Disclaimer: Editor Ilona Hanne is married to the Stratford District Council CEO
