Supporting and opposing

A comment on the proposal to provide cars for councillors and the rate rise proposal:

I have been opposed to the proposal for councillors receiving cars, except for the 15 minutes taken to assess the information put before me.

There is a process where recommendations can be put on public exhibition to ascertain public views and I was happy to support the public exhibition of the proposal because of curiosity about the responses that we might receive.

Mr Oakley's report was accurate but left out this part of council procedures.

You can support public exhibition while opposing a proposal, but obviously this creates misconceptions.

The rate increase proposal was similar.

As a ratepayer, I was supportive of the increase proposed.

However, after public consultation showed the public was clearly opposed to the idea, as a councillor, I became opposed and voted accordingly, as did all councillors.

Thank you.

Cr Geoff Preece, May 23