Recent ODT stories:
██ Mayfair Theatre, South Dunedin, learnt on Monday an adjacent public car park on the corner of King Edward St and Cameron St used by often elderly patrons was for sale, with tenders closing this week.
● Car park sale ‘kick in guts’
██ Anger from Caledonian Bowling Club members, who last Friday learnt the council would sell the Andersons Bay Rd land the 135-year-old club was on.
● Dismay as club hears of sale plans
● Community institution feels the pinch
● Bowlers buoyed by support over council sell-off plan
● Club will fight sale
██ Council to sell up to 150 plots of surplus land and property over the next two to three years in a move expected to raise about $10 million, targeted for paying off debt.
● Councillors urge rethink of land sale
● Council may net $10m in sales
● Southern suburbs among poorest 10%
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### ODT Online Wed, 30 Jul 2014
Councillors urge rethink of land sale
By David Loughrey
Some Dunedin city councillors are urging a rethink on the sale of a council-owned car park near the Mayfair Theatre, but Mayor Dave Cull is adamant the sale should not be a political decision. Mr Cull said yesterday council chief executive Sue Bidrose had been delegated to make the sale, and it was not a matter for councillors. “That’s her job.” But three councillors want at least a discussion on the issue.
Read more
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SOUTH DUNEDIN CYCLE NETWORK
“Based on what it now knew about costs […] the council would only be able to build 12km of the original 25km cycleway network within its original $4.5 million budget. The network would cost as much as $7.85 million if built as originally approved by the council.” (ODT)
### ODT Online Wed, 30 Jul 2014
Cycle project scaled back
By Debbie Porteous
The Dunedin City Council has been forced to pare back original plans for the controversial South Dunedin Cycle Network, as the true costs of the project become apparent. Despite being reduced by almost half, the curtailed network is expected to cost about $5.5 million – $1 million more than original estimates for the whole network. The blowout may eat into funding set aside for the rest of the city’s cycle network.
Read more
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“I’m not surprised given the dickheads we’ve got around that table. It’s just another nail in Dunedin’s coffin; we’ve got a council not focused on business and focused on cyclists, but there are no cyclists.” –Roger Fewtrell
### ODT Online Wed, 30 Jul 2014
Threat to move over cycleway
By Debbie Porteous and Chris Morris on Wed, 30 Jul 2014
A Dunedin business owner potentially affected by changes to an intersection on the route of the new harbourside cycleway has threatened to move his enterprise to Auckland. […] Southern Hospitality managing director Roger Fewtrell said the council’s decision meant his company would consider its options at its board meeting early next month.
Read more
24.12.13 Daaave’s $47 million Christmas present to Jinty. We’re paying.
█ For more on DCC’s cycle network project for Dunedin, enter the terms *cycle*, *transportation* or *disaster* in the search box at right.
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
What if? Dunedin... 
Links received yesterday from Anonymous
Tue, 29 Jul 2014 at 3:57 p.m. and 7:29 p.m.
Message: It’s happening everywhere!!
### whaleoil.co.nz
Get rid of the troughers, not the services
Posted by Cameron Slater on July 29, 2014 at 2:30pm
42.8% of Aucklanders surveyed by the Herald want Auckland Council to cut staff and salaries to reduce costs.
Read more
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### NZ Herald Online 5:00 AM Friday Jul 25, 2014
Auckland Councillors keep travel perk
A group of Auckland councillors have managed to retain a business-class-travel perk, but a bid to give them free parking has been voted down. The move comes as reduced library hours, street cleaning and an end to inorganic rubbish collections are on the table for sweeping budget cuts. George Wood, Christine Fletcher, Denise Krum and Calum Penrose were among those who voted yesterday to defeat an amendment by councillor John Watson to restrict business-class air travel to health grounds only. Councillors get to keep the perk of sitting in business class when taking flights of more than six hours and conducting council business within 24 hours of landing at an overseas destination.
Read more
### dunedintv.co.nz July 30, 2014 – 6:03pm
Safe cycle routes a main priority for DCC
Millions of dollars is being pumped into the development of safe cycle routes through Dunedin. It’s a main priority for the Dunedin City Council, which has already implemented the first stage of a ground-breaking cycle network in the city’s south. But rising costs have brought the one-of-a-kind project into question.
Video
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### dunedintv.co.nz July 30, 2014 – 6:00pm
Preferred route for harbourside area cycleway chosen
The Dunedin City Council has chosen its preferred route for a cycleway through the harbourside area.
Video
It is increasingly important that staff numbers remain the same or increase for the DCC, and all councils as it is for the central government.
The public service system requires ever increasing funding and ever increasing hidden taxes to ensure pay rises and exhorbitant management cost increases prevail over commonsense.
As C.Northcote Parkinson so correctly maintained, taxes (and rates and excise duties) will RISE until the cuatomer (you) complain.
The relationship between staff numbers and efficiency is inversely proportional.
Less staff no barriers to talking to decision makers. More staff, they become the impregnable barrier.
Think Robin Hood and Little John, the strongest wins, in modern times, wimps such as Hitler got large numbers of drones and was for a long time able to defeat the Little Johns. Less bureaucrats, less government, more direct contact.
Great comment at ODT Online, some RELATIVITY:
Feeding the stadium
Submitted by JimmyJones on Wed, 30/07/2014 – 9:14pm.
rossjerry52 says “sell that useless stadium that seems to be the bane of our existence”.
I agree, and I think that more people would also agree if they were told how bad the problem is. With the sale of the Mayfair car-park and the other asset sales spread over 2 to 3 years expected to raise about $10 million, it is useful to know that the FB Stadium is costing us over $20 million per year (losses, subsidies and debt servicing). That means that the $10 million will only pay for 6 months worth of stadium costs. Or, in the 3 years it takes to raise the $10 million, their stadium will have cost us over $60 million.
Selling it would not eliminate this ongoing cost, but it would make a big difference; probably enough to save DCHL from bankruptcy, and enough to save the Mayfair car-park from needing to be sold. For most sports the loss of the stadium won’t be noticed. For the ORFU, boo-hoo, their just deserts will be forthcoming (I hope).
[ends]
In fact selling the stadium might not be that far out. All that’s required is a buyer. “Yeah Right!” I hear you say. But isn’t it a fact that Canberra is looking to build a new facility for the ‘Brumbies’? Also, isn’t it a fact that our stadium is really a ‘kitset’? The steel work was all fabricated off site. The bulk of the concrete stands were all constructed off site. The seating and all fitout components including catering facilities are all removable. So if the price was right it could by and large be dismantled and shipped to Canberra. Left would be the in situ concrete piles, foundations, and most importantly, $30 million (purchase price) worth of land. A good broker if they were quick off the mark might be able to do a deal. Worth a thought Ms Bidrose?
Rotary and other community volunteers kindly meet the West Harbour call.
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### dunedintv.co.nz July 31, 2014 – 6:03pm
Plans unveiled to beautify the West Harbour cycle-pathway
About $200,000 will be spent over the next three years beautifying the West Harbour cycle-pathway. The Dunedin Rotary Club will undertake the work with the help of several other Dunedin community groups. And at the unveiling of plans this morning, the connection between two families was discovered – explaining how the track was named.
Video
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### ODT Online Thu, 31 Jul 2014
More cyclists counted using network
By Debbie Porteous
Cyclist numbers are on the rise on Portsmouth Dr since new cycleways have been made in the area, in apparent opposition to claims nobody in Dunedin cycles.
As part of the South Dunedin Cycle Network project, permanent counters were installed in February to monitor cycle numbers. A recent report to the Dunedin City Council’s infrastructure services committee said staff installed two of the counters on main cycle commuter routes at North Rd, in Northeast Valley, and Portsmouth Dr.
Read more
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Report – ISC – 24/07/2014 (PDF, 1.5 MB)
South Dunedin Cycle Network – Harbourside
Report – ISC – 24/07/2014 (PDF, 1.1 MB)
South Dunedin Cycle Network – Review
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That’s an interesting fact in The Wash! Last para of first item, following staff claims of large numbers of cyclists on routes surveyed:
“Incidentally, these cycle counters are ZELT inductive loops, combined with an infrared sensor, which also allows pedestrians to be counted.”
Shakes head, can DCC distinguish between cyclists and pedestrians in their count?!
If I were a cyclist keen to bolster arguments for cycle lanes I’d get all my sisters and my cousins and my aunts to come and walk, run, and cycle past the counters whenever, wherever, they are set up.
### ODT Online Fri, 1 Aug 2014
Backlash delays sale of car park
By David Loughrey
A South Dunedin community backlash has forced the Dunedin City Council to delay its decision on the sale of a public car park, after the bungled process infuriated both a theatre and the area’s business association.
Council acting chief executive Tony Avery said while tenders for the property closed yesterday, no decision would be made ”for a week or two”. Southern Wide Real Estate, tasked with selling the property, has admitted making a mistake in not notifying those affected, and apologised.
Read more
CCC consults public BEFORE partial asset sales – there’s an idea!!!
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### ODT Online Fri, 1 Aug 2014
Christchurch faces $900m ‘black hole’
Christchurch City Council has revealed today that it faces a funding black hole of up to $900 million to help rebuild the earthquake-wrecked city, and is set to start public consultation on “at least a partial” sale of its assets. APNZ
Read more
The privatisation of public assets continues. Christchurch has an excuse, Dunedin hasn’t. Our city is in this predicament because council members would not look at evidence presented to them by members of the public. No, a Grand Edifice they wanted and a Grand Edifice they would have, and beggar the 99.9%. Central government has every reason to stand aside and think of Auckland (there are so many seats up there) and see Christchurch forced to sell assets, it’s less controversial than Government selling our collective property and achieves the same thing, privatising public assets at a nicely affordable price for those who pull the strings.
Mayfair Theatre gets a reprieve from DCC. The Council often fails to think in the round (it’s how we got the stadium delivered on a plate by Malcolm Farry and friends).
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### ODT Online Sat, 9 Aug 2014
Joy as sale of car park called off
By David Loughrey
The Dunedin City Council has done a U-turn on its plan to sell a South Dunedin car park, and promised to do better next time, after community outrage forced a rethink. The outcome has overjoyed those fighting the sale of the small Cameron St car park near the Mayfair Theatre.
Read more
Elizabeth, you say the council ‘often fails to think in the round’, I suggest it thinks more in a ‘tetrahedron’. DCC property is one of the only assets which can be readily converted to cash in order to alleviate its mountain of debt. Like throwing a stone into a pond the ripples expand. Common sense would suggest that the starting point would be at the extremities of those ripples. So, on that basis one would start by selling down investment properties in Auckland (of which there are a few) followed by Wellington (the Bunnings property in Porirua comes to mind) then look at exiting the Christchurch portfolio. Then take a breath and study the results and effect on the debt. Depending on the state of affairs, then look at the likes of the ‘Wall St Mall’ which is neither social, strategic nor council business. In fact, it is in direct competition to its own commercial ratepayers, and as Cr Hillary Calvert has pointed out carries a false claimed investment return of 10% due to not accounting for the value of the land on which it sits. That would release a substantial amount of debt relief, plus increase the rate return by having other owners. There are a myriad of properties on council’s books which could be seen as being neither strategic nor of social value, so why pick on the small people right at the outset. I am sure if these folk were last to be targeted and could see the social benefits they would concur. But to start at the outside first just doesn’t seem to be the nature of the beast. Let’s pick the lowest hanging fruit first and bloody a few noses in the process, that’s the way to go. It’s called ‘idiocy’.