DCC low lifes #RugbyDebtStadium

Huh? Huh?

The council is increasing the capital of its investment company by $850m. (Ch39)

### dunedintv.co.nz June 30, 2015 – 7:24pm
DCC takes ownership of Dunedin Venues Limited
City councillors have voted for the organisation to take on an extra $30m of debt. That’s being transferred today from Dunedin Venues Limited. Councillors have also approved the equivalent payment of DVL shares, to repay the debt. And they’ve voted for the council to take ownership of the company, as well as Dunedin Venues Management Limited, for the new financial year.
Ch39 Link [no video available]

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Code of Conduct show trial

Updated post
Fri, 27 Nov 2015 at 11:17 p.m.

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Recently, Daaave Cull – he who cannot keep a true and proper Council minute record (as the Ch39 videos demonstrate) – ran an evil-illegal ultra vires punitive Code of Conduct campaign against Cr Lee Vandervis.

Mad Hatter 30.6.15 [click to enlarge]

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Douglas Field Republished Aug 17, 2016
Mad Hatter’s ‘Show Trial’ of Lee Vandervis revised 10 7 15

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC rates increase, despicable 3.8%

### dunedintv.co.nz June 29, 2015 – 6:09pm
DCC to raise rates for the coming financial year
A rates rise is being implemented by the city council for the coming financial year. The council’s just adopted its long term plan, which sets out rates. That’s resulting in a 3.8% increase for the 2015/16 financial year, starting on Wednesday. The council previously set itself a 3% limit on annual rates increases, but big ticket items like the proposed Mosgiel swimming pool have put pressure on councillors.
Ch39 Link [no video available]

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### ODT Online Mon, 29 Jun 2015
Long term plan to be decided
By David Loughrey
The Dunedin City Council will sit today to decide on a long term plan that should result in a 3.8% rates rise when rates are set for the next financial year. What Mayor Dave Cull called “a bloody big agenda” will include debate on the Government’s Remuneration Authority review of councillors’ pay, under which Mr Cull’s pay will rise in the new financial year by 2.9% to $150,150, and councillors’ up 7.3% to $54,500.
Read more

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█ Agenda – Council – 29/06/2015 (PDF, 124.3 KB)

█ Report – Council – 29/06/2015 (PDF, 1.2 MB)
Setting of Rates for 2015/16 Financial Year

█ Report – Council – 29/06/2015 (PDF, 96.4 KB)
Adoption of the 2015/16 – 2024/25 Long Term Plan

█ Report – Council – 29/06/2015 (PDF, 6.5 MB)
Adoption of the 2015/16 – 2024/25 Long Term Plan – Introduction, Sections 1 and 2

█ Report – Council – 29/06/2015 (PDF, 14.6 MB)
Adoption of the 2015/16 – 2024/25 Long Term Plan – Sections 3 – 7

█ Report – Council – 29/06/2015 (PDF, 421.8 KB)
Management Report on the Audit of the LTP Consultation Document

█ Other Council Reports

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

NZ Herald plays up Bezett story! #nationalnews

Received.

[screenshot – NZ Herald 29.6.15]

A Dunedin resident is threatening legal action against a city councillor amid claims of bullying in a neighbourhood dispute. Steve Hawkins says councillor John Bezett told him to “be prepared to catch the bus” after using his Toyota Rav4 to block the Hawkins’ cars into their Portobello Rd driveway.
NZ Herald Link

Source: Otago Daily Times

█ DCC Profile: Cr John Bezett

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Ratepayer boxes #saga

Once upon a time, Rugby louts and owners of industrially-zoned land at Dunedin decided they deserved a new Rugby stadium and some personal spending CASH! (ie ratepayer money)

It wasn’t long before DCC was vigorously lobbied from within and without by slimy fatcats, to build a Hopeless Stadium.

The evil plan was to saddle ratepayers with outlandish debt for decades and decades.

It also transpired that the Chin Council thought only slightly about lines in the sand but agreed ‘it’s perfectly alright to rob the poor to support the well-off’ —the practice continues to this very day, Mayor Cull’s merry band of dimwits subsidise DVML and have recently transferred $30m of Hopeless Stadium debt back onto the DCC books.

Going back a treacle-filled step or two… the spendthrift Carisbrook Stadium Charitable Trust (CST), headed by Malcolm Farry, became agent to the Council via a Service Level Agreement (SLA), to see in the Hopeless Stadium construction project and associated fundraising.

[Aside, like it didn’t matter: Farry in his construction safety hat and dayglo vest failed miserably at raising public donations for the Hopeless Stadium.]

Long short… regular as well as ‘other’ payments were made by DCC to CST and co-greedy sods without much corroborating paperwork.

Despite non-accountability and lack of transparency, and the odd crucial missing document, there’s a stash of CST files kept “in storage” somewhere – files to drive a bulldozer through, lawfully the property of the Council, paid for by ratepayers.

Turns out two of DCC’s most senior executives, with Malcolm Farry, appear to have no interest whatsoever in surrendering the files for independent forensic audit. They’ll only retrieve file boxes in batches, while pedalling strongly backwards.

The files are not sealed, seized or safe. Where are they? DCC will not say. Farry won’t say. Fairytales are being told.

The files were long ago officially requested through the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) by Dunedin resident Bev Butler. They’re also subject to the Public Records Act.

The Ombudsmen’s Office is involved, due to deliberate lack of co-operation shown by CST and DCC to supply copy of the original files to Ms Butler in a timely manner.

Have the files been thrown into plastic shopping bags, shredded or dumped? We simply don’t know.

CST and DCC are equally culpable, they’re both prepared to lie and defer – What if? can only imagine the files might be as tidy as this.

If it takes a court order…..

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: clipart.org – Filing Cabinet Overload

University of Otago flyover #partyville

### ODT Online Fri, 26 Jun 2015
Video: University of Otago flyover
A video from Dunedin’s Taylormade of the University of Otago is attracting huge viewing numbers. The video lasts 2min 27sec and is a flyover of Dunedin and the university campus area. The video has attracted over 90,000 views on the university’s Facebook page which, Taylormade CEO Ian Taylor says, “highlights the power and reach of social media”. Link

UOLCFY Published on Jun 15, 2015
Check out our awesome city and our famous University in this fantastic animated flyover made by Taylormade Productions.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC Citifleet COVERUP #screwy

Police have decided no-one will be charged after the Citifleet investigation. –39 Dunedin News

Read tomorrow’s Otago Daily Times.

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Only +152 city council fleet vehicles went west, car parts, tyres, kickback auto services, and just one man died.

HE DID IT. Ain’t it cosy.

█ For more, enter the terms *citifleet*, *bachop*, *bidrose* or *vandervis* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Mayor Daaave lacks honest leadership in media replies

Another instance.

ODT 24.6.15 (page 12)

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC Residents’ Opinion Survey (ROS)

Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Tell Us What You Think!

This item was published on 23 Jun 2015

Letters have been sent this week to 4500 Dunedin residents inviting them to take part in the Dunedin City Council’s annual Residents’ Opinion Survey (ROS).

DCC General Manager Services and Development Simon Pickford says, “The ROS provides valuable feedback on what Dunedin residents think of their Council and the services and facilities we provide. It is particularly useful as it allows us to hear from the ‘silent majority’ of residents who are less likely to tell us what they think in other ways, such as the Long Term Plan consultation.”

The 4500 residents, randomly selected from the electoral roll, will be invited to complete the ROS online using a unique code. A hard copy questionnaire will be provided on request.

The survey is also open to other residents, who can fill out the survey at http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/ros.

Everyone who provides feedback will have the opportunity to enter a draw to win one of five $100 supermarket vouchers.

The survey is open until 17 July 2015. A reminder letter will be sent to those who have not responded about two weeks after the initial letter. This practice has proved successful in increasing the response rate. The survey results are expected to be publicly available by late August.

Mr Pickford says, “We have been using this survey for more than 20 years and it has become a key tool for us to assess how well we are doing and ultimately guide our planning and decision making. ROS focuses on how well we deliver our services and asks questions about residents’ perceptions of our performance. Some of the results are used as official measures of the DCC’s performance for audit purposes. But equally importantly, the feedback is used by staff and the Council to guide our thinking about how we might best deliver services to better meet the needs of Dunedin residents.”

The survey, which costs about $40,000, will be undertaken by independent research company Versus Research.

The results of previous surveys can be viewed at http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/ros.

Contact Simon Pickford, General Manager Services and Development on 03 474 3707.

DCC Link

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Councillor pay + Remuneration Authority

ODT Mon, 22 Jun 2015 (page 8)

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Let’s see if there is any possibility that mayor and councillors are bloody well creaming it for little or no ratepayer benefit. Oops. As they have always done.

See DCC consolidated debt; debt per capita (ratepayers); and the stifling intergenerational debt stacked up by the two spendthrift councils: Chin’s and Cull’s.

Worse. How will RT earn his keep as DCC chair of Finance while he is greasing wheels as temporary deputy commissioner at SDHB…. does not compute.

Send a commissioner to DCC.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC / Carisbrook Stadium Trust document scramble #LGOIMA

Received from Bev Butler
Fri, 19 June 2015 at 9:13 a.m.

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From: Bev Butler
To: Lee Vandervis, Dave Cull, David Benson-Pope, Hilary Calvert, John Bezett, Doug Hall, Aaron Hawkins, Mike Lord, Jinty MacTavish, Andrew Noone, Neville Peat, Chris Staynes, Richard Thomson, Andrew Whiley, Kate Wilson
Subject: Mayor and Councillors/Security of DCC/CST stadium documents
Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2015 08:50:20 +1200

Friday 19 June 2015
 
Dear Mayor Cull and Councillors
 
During my recent DCC Annual Plan submission I requested a full forensic audit of the Carisbrook Stadium Trust (CST). You will recall that preliminary informal investigations found that documentation has been withheld. The CST and the previous CEO of the DCC both attempted via undisclosed legal opinions to ensure that this documentation remained hidden from any investigation or even LGOIMA requests and it is now more than clear that the CST, as an agent of the DCC, have no right to retain ANY documentation that relates to the entire period which the CST were in any way acting as an agent of the DCC. The CST appears to have no other function than continuing to receive donations from private persons as part of the private sector funding so, given that, I do not believe ANY documentation should be withheld from the DCC.
 
Since my public call for a full forensic investigation I have been greatly concerned about the security of the DCC/CST documents all of which were financed with ratepayer money.
 
It has now been revealed that the Chair of CST, Mr Malcolm Farry has removed most of the documents from the stadium and dumped them in a container. By doing so I believe that he has demonstrated a desire to thwart any investigation into any inappropriate spending of ratepayers money which could be revealed by a forensic audit, but he has also on the face of it, essentially misappropriated the documentation which has been, and remains, the property of the DCC.
 
On Monday 15 June 2015 I also contacted the Office of the Ombudsman expressing my concern over the security of the documents.
A representative of the Ombudsman Office then rang the DCC Governance Manager on Monday afternoon.
 
As elected representatives I believe you should be made aware of the situation.
 
Below is an urgent LGOIMA request I submitted on Tuesday 16 June 2015 followed by an acknowledgement of the request.
Further down the page is the earlier correspondence I had with the DCC CEO requesting the documents be secured.
 
Kind Regards
Bev Butler

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From: Bev Butler
To: Grace Ockwell [DCC], Sandy Graham [DCC]
CC: Sue Bidrose [DCC]
Subject: URGENT LGOIMA Request: Security of DCC/CST stadium documents
Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2015 09:17:33 +1200

Tuesday 16 June 2015
 
Dear Sandy and Grace
 
Given the following:
1. Changes to LGOIMA recently came into force on 26 March 2015.
In light of these changes, and especially the changes to s2(6) which unequivocally states that a local authority will be deemed to hold any information held by an independent contractor in its capacity as contractor.
2. Under section 3 of Schedule 5 of the Service Level Agreement (SLA) between the CST and DCC it states:
“All files, records and other information held by CST and DVML will be held at the offices of DVML and made available to CST and DVML Board members and staff as required.”
3. DCC Governance staff were told by the Chair of CST, Mr Malcolm Farry, that ALL the DCC/CST stadium documents were in a locked room at DVML offices as per the SLA and only Malcolm Farry and his secretary had keys to the locked room. 
4. Recently it has transpired that MOST of the documents are not in the DVML offices.
5. Most of the documents are now in a container.
 
Therefore, given the LGOIMA legislation, the contract between DCC and CST and other information above, I request the following:
1. On what date were the DCC/CST documents removed from the DVML offices?
2. Apart from Malcolm Farry, who else was involved in the removal of the documents?
3. Which other CST trustees were aware of the removal of the documents?
4. Where exactly is the container located?
5. How are the documents stored in this container? Are they in cardboard boxes, supermarket bags, filing cabinets or thrown in piles or some other storage method?
6. Will the DCC report this removal of local government documents to the Police given this was done without DCC permission?
7. Will the DCC now seize these documents as is their legal right under the SLA?
8. The name of the law firm and lawyer who has been providing legal advice to the DCC over the security of the DCC/CST stadium documents?
 
Given the seriousness of this situation, I am requesting that this request be treated with urgency.
 
Kind Regards
Bev

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From: Sandy Graham
To: Bev Butler
CC: Sue Bidrose, Grace Ockwell
Subject: RE: URGENT LGOIMA Request: Security of DCC/CST stadium documents
Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2015 02:00:11 +0000

Dear Bev
 
Thank you for your request below. I note that you have requested urgency and we will consider this request. If we decide that we will not progress the request urgently, you will receive a response as soon as practicable or within twenty working days.
 
I do wish to formally advise that I have sighted the CST files and after conversations with the CST have no concerns about their security. I note your reference to the provisions of the Deed between the CST and the DCC and will work to give effect to that with the CST over coming days.
 
Regards
Sandy

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From: Bev Butler
To: Sandy Graham
CC: Sue Bidrose, Grace Ockwell
Subject: RE: URGENT LGOIMA Request: Security of DCC/CST stadium documents
Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2015 14:30:55 +1200

Dear Sandy
 
Thank you for your email.
Do the CST still have access to these documents?
 
Kind Regards
Bev

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From: Bev Butler
Sent: Tuesday, 16 June 2015 3:47:51 p.m.
To: Sandy Graham
Cc: Sue Bidrose, Grace Ockwell

Dear Sandy
 
Further to your email below where you state:
“I note your reference to the provisions of the Deed between the CST and the DCC and will work to give effect to that with the CST over coming days.”
Can I assume that the DCC will be taking control of the documents by the end of the week as per SLA?
 
Kind Regards
Bev

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From: Bev Butler
Sent: 24 May 2015 4:16 p.m.
To: Sue Bidrose
Subject: Security of stadium documents
Importance: High
 
Sunday 24 May 2015
 
Dear Dr Bidrose
 
I wish to formally request that the DCC secure the CST stadium documents.
Some time ago, I was made aware of a threat by Mr Malcolm Farry, Chair of CST, to remove the documents from the locked stadium room.
I think it is essential to ensure the security of these documents.
 
Given Mr Farry’s ongoing refusal to release information even with the recent change in legislation to LGOIMA and given the false statements and the malicious attack on me which he made on the front page of the ODT on Friday 22 May 2015 I believe it may be necessary to: 
(a) change the locks as I understand Mr Farry has the only key;
(b) secure any external window(s) from possible break-in or access to damage the documents.
(c) ensure Mr Farry is escorted by a security guard at all times whilst in the document room if he does now decide to co-operate.
 
Yours sincerely
Bev Butler
 
PS I think it fair to inform you I will be making this request public in a few days time.

—
 
From: Sue Bidrose
To: Bev Butler
Subject: RE: Security of stadium documents
Date: Fri, 5 Jun 2015 03:38:28 +0000

Hi Bev
 
Thanks for the conversation. To just put it in writing, I have had discussions with the CST representative and we are working together to ensure DCC has full access to CST documents pertaining to the stadium build. Most of the documents are not at the stadium and therefore ‘locking the door’ would not only be likely to provoke legal retaliation, it would be counterproductive in our working together to ensure DCC has the documents that we are legally required to have.
 
Kind regards
 
Sue

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From: Bev Butler
To: Sue Bidrose
Subject: RE: Security of stadium documents
Date: Fri, 5 Jun 2015 17:22:51 +1200

Hi Sue
 
Thanks for the email.
fyi
On reading the Service Level Agreement today on page 20 it states under Schedule 5 – Resources/Administration
3. All files, records and other information held by CST and DVML will be held at the offices of DVML and made available to CST and DVML Board members and staff as required.
 
Kind regards
Bev

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

ODT to lose Murray Kirkness

### ODT Online Thu, 18 Jun 2015
‘ODT’ editor resigns
Otago Daily Times editor Murray Kirkness has resigned, Allied Press Ltd managing director Sir Julian Smith has announced. Mr Kirkness (47) has accepted the role of weekday editor at The New Zealand Herald in Auckland. He will remain at the ODT until August.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: dunedintv.co.nz – Murray Kirkness

Southern District Health Board sacked !!!

█ Kathy Grant, a legal consultant at Gallaway Cook Allan in Dunedin, will take up the role of Commissioner tomorrow.

“Southern is forecasting a final deficit of $27 million for the current financial year. That figure has effectively doubled in the last six months.”
–Jonathan Coleman, Minister of Health

### ODT Online Wed, 17 Jun 2015
Southern health board sacked
Dunedin legal consultant Kathy Grant has been appointed the Commissioner of the troubled Southern District Health Board which has been sacked today.
Her deputies will be board member Richard Thomson, who was sacked as Otago District Health Board chairman in 2009, and Dunedin City Holdings chairman Graham Crombie.
Health Minister Jonathan Coleman announced this morning he had written to the SDHB sacking all members of the board and replacing it with a commissioner. Read more

● Perhaps unfortunate that Mr Thomson is in the equation – but some form of lowlife continuous knowledge possible. As for Mr Crombie – additional doubts there.

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Related Posts and Comments:
9.6.15 Southern District Health Board
1.5.14 Dunedin Hospital buildings SORRY STATE
16.4.15 Talk of replacing Southern District Health Board with commissioner

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: stuff.co.nz – Kathy Grant

Resene Architecture and Design Film Festival 2015

This came in this morning, belatedly. Slight marketing glitch; NZIA Southern who normally helps market the festival doesn’t appear to have been notified by the festival organisers. Anyway, get along to what’s left of the viewing programme !!!

The fourth annual Resene Architecture & Design Film Festival will showcase acclaimed and current films in architecture and design, including furniture, industrial, graphic, urban and landscape.

The festival will play in four locations this year with Christchurch being welcomed as the fourth city in the festival.

Auckland, Rialto Cinemas Newmarket, 7-20 May
Wellington, Embassy Theatre, 28 May – 10 June
Dunedin, Rialto Cinemas, 11 – 21 June
Christchurch, Academy Gold, 25 June – 8 July

Tickets for the festival are on sale now.

Rialto Cinemas has partnered with Clearly & Co, who curated the films for this year’s line-up. Curators Tracey Lee and Clare Buchanan say, “As New Zealand faces urban growth and renewal on an unprecedented scale, it is an important time to fuel the conversation. We hope this fusion of films stimulates a dialogue and opens minds to the possibilities for architecture and design in our lives, communities and cities.”

This year’s festival has been grouped into themes, so audiences can navigate towards stories they are most curious about. “We have brought together 22 films from all over the world, with everything from epic tales of architectural icons and visionaries; fascinating insight into experiments in urban and industrial design; intimate glimpses into spaces and communities; and celebrations of rooftop gardens and garden lovers. The festival is also hosting an In Memoriam event with Athfield Architects for Ian Athfield, who we lost earlier this year.”

Naming rights sponsor Resene Marketing Manager Karen Warman says Resene is once again delighted to be bringing the festival to New Zealand with Rialto Cinemas. “Before the last festival finished, we were already getting requests for it to come back again. The Resene Architecture & Design Film Festival is such a unique opportunity for everyone to indulge their interest in, and love of, great architecture and design. The films are thought provoking and celebratory. Resene has a long history of supporting New Zealand architecture and being a part of this festival helps to remind us all how important great design is.”

█ 2015 RADFF Festival Programme (PDF, 2 MB)

█ More at http://www.rialto.co.nz/filmfestivals/resene

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Citifleet: ‘Checkpoint’ interviews Dave Cull

### radionz.co.nz Thu, 18 Dec 2014
Checkpoint with Simon Mercep
Report reveals how car manager ripped off Dunedin council
17:20 An investigation into the Dunedin City Council’s missing cars has named Citifleet team leader Brent Bachop (bok-ip) as the man at the heart of the one and a half million dollar fraud. A Deloitte report released this afternoon details how he transferred vehicles to his name and sold them on, including some to fellow staff and councillors. It slams the council for not detecting the fraud sooner. Brent Bachop died suddenly in May. With us now is Dunedin’s mayor Dave Cull.
Audio | Download: Ogg MP3 ( 4′ 21″ )

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Received from Lee Vandervis
Tue, 16 Jun 2015 at 10:00 p.m.

Thank you for this audio. In it Mayor Cull says that none of the managers in charge at the time of the Citifleet frauds are still at the DCC. Has he forgotten that Dr Bidrose is still there?

Mayor Cull also says that the frauds were discovered and investigated in the last year. Has he forgotten that I had discovered and was investigating Citifleet frauds since 2011, and that senior staff were prompted by me to investigate then but apparently allowed themselves to be fobbed off by the most superficial denials from some of the perpetrators themselves?

█ For more, enter the terms *citifleet*, *bachop*, *bidrose* or *vandervis* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC lacks impetus, AGAIN #infrastructure

DCC roading maintenance engineer Peter Standring confirmed the council was aware of “three areas of concern” in Malvern St where sinkholes had emerged.

### ODT Online Tue, 16 Jun 2015
Stream bank erosion sparks anger, fears
By Damian George
An angry Woodhaugh resident says he is “sick of being fobbed off” over an eroding stream bank he fears will lead to a major accident. Gaping sinkholes have emerged on sections of the street above the bank as a result of erosion caused by the Water of Leith, which runs parallel.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Mosgiel Taieri Community Board threatened with demise

Received from Maurice Prendergast
Sun, 14 Jun 2015 at 12:32 a.m.

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[Undated email by excerpt. -Eds]

From: Maurice Prendergast
To: Bill [Feather]
 
In response to your e-mail below in which you seek feedback from Board members on the recommendation of the Representation Review team, I offer my comments as described below.
 
Effective representation and fair representation; while enshrined in legislation, are really just haughty ‘weasel words’ because while members may masquerade during election campaign as being representative of a particular catchment/community; once elected they can freely abandon their ‘fine principles’ and commit their loyalties to quite alien causes. Case in point: Rural electors who thought they would be effectively and fairly represented by a rural Councillor/ representative of the huge City hinterland found that same Councillor voting to remove their one precious budget consideration (the seal extension budget) and curiously voted for the same amount of funding to favour the provision of cycleways. Conclusion: there is no discipline that binds elected members to the principles of fair and/or effective representation. Cr Wilson has demonstrably personified this. This segment of Local Body law should be removed and pronounced unworkable.
 
Number of Councillors: The most effective Councils since re-organisation in 1989 were those with 21 and 18 councillors. Why? Enhanced salaries for (presumed) talented chairmen of Committees generates a ‘dash for cash’. Currently (at 14 Councillors) the mayor ‘cabals’ by having guaranteed loyalty from his six Committee Chairmen whose salary he has enhanced by bestowing upon them lavishly paid Chairmanships; thus securing an implied loyalty to the Mayor (or be sacked). Peter Chin introduced this draconian practice. When I was Deputy Mayor back in the mid-nineties the Mayor (Turner) relied on trust and appointed for three years. Peter Chin changed that to annual reviews – just to stop his footmen straying from loyalty to him I guess. So having secured six avaricious troopers, on any given issue he can be sure of six votes plus his own (7) which curiously is half of 14 and in the event of a tied vote he can exercise his casting vote to get across the line. That is what is so magical about the number 14, and that is why it will be strenuously defended (or even reduced). So a decision to have only 14 Councillors gives the Mayor a guarantee that he will preside over his ‘Fiefdom’ This was never possible when (say) there was 18/20 elected members. There was always up to 14 and then 12 (when the number dropped to 18 Councillors) who were not ‘tainted’ by having accepted gratuities from the Mayor. In a perverse way this always guaranteed honourable behaviour and reasoned decision making by Council and ‘debt laden vanity projects’ never saw the light of day. I don’t expect a ‘buy-in’ from the public at large because the rank and file electors (largely) don’t like Councillors, and if there were more I would anticipate an ‘uninformed’ revolt – which is a pity because this would be guaranteed means of discipline. But my analysis is that an addition of (say) six more ‘back-bench’ councillors at (say) $50,000 per annum, ($300,000) would be about the best investment the ratepayers could have made in the recent past. And the remedy is staring us in the face. Who was that philosopher who said “those who ignore their history shall be condemned by it”. The exercise of power that currently burdens us in debt is the product of having insufficient disaffected/ unsullied members – members who have retained the capacity not to be corrupted.
 
Community Boards: I am ambivalent about the Review Team’s proposal. Community Boards have never worked as expected by the Commissioner when established in 1989, and while I have served on six or seven Boards during the 35 year life of the ‘new City’, with the exception of the Strath Taieri Board it has been an unrewarding experience. The Boards suffer from not having any decision making authority and consequently suffer from having no sense of purpose. Initially each Board was granted $2000 per annum (euphemistically referred to by the CEO of the day as ‘drop dead’ money) – such was his limited respect for the function of the Boards and intended for the most menial of chores like keeping the toilet paper and light bulbs up to their community Halls etc. Then a Committee/Working Party was established to review the function of Boards with power to decide – a committee stacked with Community Board members and unsurprisingly the annual grant went from $2000 to $10,000 pa; but this change was not intended for any particular purpose. Without any strict purpose set down for these funds it has often generated an exercise in a kind of cronyism where conflicts of interest seemed to flourish. The distribution of these funds is attended by a set of criteria which is carefully described as ‘Guidelines’. Of course nobody can be nailed for imprudent expenditure of these funds because their distribution is bound by the discretionary word ‘Guidelines’. I attempted to get some kind of discipline on board at a recent Board meeting by changing the operative word Guidelines to a more disciplined caption ‘Rules’ but I did not even get the support of a seconder for my motion. Therefore every other member seemed to be comfortable with the freedom of having no rules associated with this ratepayer funded slush fund, and this kind of caballing is in my view why the Mosgiel Taieri Community Board is being abolished. I cannot raise an argument against that recommendation. E&0E)
 
Sincerely,
 
Maurice Prendergast
 
————

From: Bill Feather
Sent: Thursday, 11 June 2015 3:10 p.m.
To: Sarah Nitis; Martin Dillon ; Maurice Prendergast; Blackie Catlow; Mark Willis
Subject: Representatation Review
 
Good afternoon all,

You each will have received a copy of the findings and recommendations of the Hearing panel released last evening. If not a copy of the report is attached.

The Council are to consider this report at an extraordinary meeting on Monday 15th June at which a number of Community Board Chairs including myself will attend.

I am interested to gauge the feeling of the community over the Review Panel’s recommendations and would like for you to forward to me your assessment of community support or otherwise that you learn of over the next day or two for the recommendations under consideration. The media broke the news this morning in the ODT and are planning a follow-up in more detail in either tomorrow or Saturday’s edition.

Your thoughts are important please respond earliest.

Regards

Bill

[Bill Feather, Chairman, Mosgiel Taieri Community Board]

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Related Post and Comments:
11.6.15 DCC representation review

█ For more, enter the term *mosgiel* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Dunedin Food Banks: Donations of food needed

Similarly, cash donations for Food Bank purchasing of food are welcome (discuss online banking with Food Bank staff).

ODT 13.6.15 (page 4)

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Fairfax: DCC has no insurance cover for flood-damaged roads

Funding assistance would be available from New Zealand Transport Agency, with ratepayers set to pay the balance.

### Stuff.co.nz Last updated 14:57 12/06/2015
Insurance won’t cover flood-damaged Dunedin roads
By Hamish McNeilly
Damage to Dunedin’s roading network following last week’s widespread flooding is not covered by insurance, with ratepayers facing a hefty bill for roading repair.
Dunedin City Council Group Chief Financial Officer Grant McKenzie confirmed the cost of roading repairs was not covered by the council’s insurance, because it had become “too expensive” following the Canterbury earthquakes.
Read more

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A Givealittle page, Dunedin Flood Appeal, has been set up, while donations to the flood appeal are also being accepted at all Dunedin Westpac branches.

Donations can be made directly to 03 0905 0184000 18 and a street appeal will be held on Friday, 19 June.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC representation review

Updated post Thu, 11 Jun 2015 at 11:10 p.m.

Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Representation Review Report Released

This item was published on 10 Jun 2015

The Representation Review Team has completed its review and will discuss its findings with the Dunedin City Council at an extraordinary Council meeting on Monday.

The independent panel reviewed the Council’s representation arrangements after hearing people’s views on the structure we have for electing representatives, whether we have the right number of Councillors and how our wards and community boards meet the needs of our communities.

The Representation Review Team’s recommendations include that the Council be elected at large (which means there would no longer be wards and Councillors would be voted for by all residents) and that the number of Councillors remains at 14.

The Review Team recommends several changes to community boards, such as establishing a Rural Community Board to cover the Strath Taieri and Taieri rural communities. It recommends adjusting the boundaries of Chalmers, Otago Peninsula, Saddle Hill and Waikouaiti Coast Community Boards and reducing the number of elected members on each community board from six to four. The Council would continue to appoint a Councillor to each board. 

Review Team Chair Associate Professor Janine Hayward says, “The Review Team is grateful to everyone who participated in this process. We heard from many people from all parts of Dunedin with a wide range of views and perspectives. It is heartening to see how highly people value our local democracy. We encourage everyone to continue to participate in the next phase of consultation also.”

Members of the Review Team will be present at Monday’s meeting to discuss their recommendations with the Council, which will then agree on a proposal that will go out for public consultation.

Councils are required by law to look at their representation arrangements on a regular basis.

The other Review Team members are Len Cook, Paulette Tamati-Elliffe and Mayor Dave Cull.

Report – Council – 15/06/2015 (PDF, 8.6 MB)

Report – Council – 15/06/2015 – low resolution (PDF, 1.9 MB)

Contact Associate Professor Janine Hayward, Representation Review Team Chair on 03 479 8666.

DCC Link

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### ODT Online Thu, 11 Jun 2015
Wards’ abolition proposed
By Shawn McAvinue
Dunedin city’s three wards should be abolished and council candidates should vie for the votes of every resident, a team including Mayor Dave Cull has recommended. Under the plan, the number of community boards would be cut from six to five, with fewer members on each board.
Read more

Is this really the end of the Mosgiel Taieri Community Board ?? The board with the mostest…. conflicts of interest, and greatest propensity to misuse city council grants ?? HAPPY DAYS.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

City promotion: moral fibre

Received from Anonymous
Tue, 9 Jun 2015 at 1:33 p.m.

“I can’t think of another single thing that would make as big a difference to the Dunedin economy as winning this.” –Sue Bidrose

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Southern District Health Board

A major development in the wings for the SDHB. Not before time! And while individual board members may feel aggrieved at their potential dumping, after what they may think has been all solid work and duty, the evidence is the health board has been operating with a screaming history of multimillion-dollar losses; obvious limitations for effect of timely interventions for many commonly experienced medical conditions; and within an array of building and facility conditions that, frankly, are a severe indictment on central government spending priorities and funding methods for Health.

Replacing the health board with a commissioner is both necessary and welcome, if not callously overdue. The make-do and rationed aspects of the health board regime, including recent losses of funding or subsidy to local health support services, are telling not only for urban areas and hospitals, but significantly debilitating for rural health, mental health, rest homes and dementia units, and other providers of crucial health services across the large territory that is Southern Health.

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### ODT Online Tue, 9 June 2015
Board may be sacked
The Southern District Health Board may be given its marching orders and a commissioner installed to sort out its problems. The board has until Thursday to respond to Health Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman’s proposal to consider appointing a commissioner under the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act, it was revealed yesterday.
Read more

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Related Post and Comments:
17.6.15 Southern District Health Board sacked !!!
1.5.14 Dunedin Hospital buildings SORRY STATE
16.4.15 Talk of replacing Southern District Health Board with commissioner

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Crashed demobilised: picked a bone

This short thread is relocated from another post.

Made a great job of this last Wednesday, during the flood.
Here’s the splintered base of what was once a good bone, oh well. I didn’t even have the pleasure of going skiing to make it happen. The excitement was caused at home, in the dry!

Xray Urgent Doctors – EJ Kerr 6.6.15 Splintered fibula surrounded by swollen tissue (scan of photocopy)

Taking a flash drive with me this week for jpg file from next Xray(s).

Wikipedia: Fibula

. . . .

No sandbagging at South Dunedin for me —just like Mayor Cull!?

Elizabeth
Submitted on 2015/06/06 at 5:50 pm | In reply to Calvin Oaten.
Calvin, welcome back to HAVOC.
To this I will add one item that is none of your concern at all. Totally off topic. I have been rendered stationary for 2-3 months (!!!) as a result of what I thought was just an ankle inversion sprain on Wednesday morning – nope, Xray today shows very unstable fracture, a splintered base to left fibula (Xray picture is outstanding). No-one seems to know why I feel no pain. Hooray. Now wearing moonboot fulltime, using crutches – classic stuff, not flooded maybe, but upstairs apartment dweller hell. Up/down stairs is by seat of pants, literally, for weekly Xrays. ACC claim for household help and more ahead. If I don’t follow orders and the thing splinters apart then I’m to be hospitalised – that sort of week at Dunners. A first, no previous breaks – for me quite funny as challenges go. This will keep me up to speed at What if? and other sites – and my research reading is going to be ACE undisturbed for months. Semi-hibernation.
Not the same, nor nearly as bad, as dealing to a flooded home(s) with vulnerable families and residents of South Dunedin.

Hype O’Thermia
Submitted on 2015/06/07 at 2:22 am
Are you in plaster of paris type plaster? Maximum inconvenience! Fibreglass rocks, soon as I was f’glassed I was driving and doing normal things like making a drink and being able to carry it away from the kitchen bench……
Sounds like a nasty break. There’s not a lot to be said in favour of splintering bone. Mine – same bone but uncomplicated.
I hope you heal up as well as I did. I was lucky. Here’s hoping you are too.]

Elizabeth
Submitted on 2015/06/07 at 3:35 am | In reply to Hype O’Thermia.
No they decided against plaster and gave me very cool black figlas-strengthened moonboot that must not come off. Not allowed to put any weight on left foot at all for 2-3 months, very nasty splinter/shatter, graphic even. Caused by full torsion on impact with floor, quite the worst landing I’ve ever made. Lucky that the bone splinters haven’t sheered off, not yet anyway. Crutches and mobile armless desk chair is the only driving I’ll be doing for next months, wheel chair for longer journeys!

Hype O’Thermia
Submitted on 2015/06/07 at 3:49 am | In reply to Elizabeth.
Ooh aah, not fun.
Showering’s a riot, wanna put out a request for plastic bags for the foot-swathing that’s necessary?

Mike
Submitted on 2015/06/07 at 9:53 am | In reply to Hype O’Thermia.
If she has a moonboot likely she can slip it off for showers with care

Elizabeth
Submitted on 2015/06/07 at 10:59 am | In reply to Mike.
Mike, can’t remove boot, very unstable fracture – doctors orders. Maybe if after bone mend clearly advancing, on instruction of fracture clinic (weekly visits).

Elizabeth
Submitted on 2015/06/07 at 9:57 am | In reply to Hype O’Thermia.
No showering allowed, sponge bathing from here on out.

Mike
Submitted on 2015/06/07 at 9:51 am | In reply to Elizabeth.
Having been there relatively recently I recommend getting ACC to rent you a “knee scooter” to get around the house (assuming you are all on one level) they are silly looking things and more useful than you can imagine.
When the time comes to start putting weight on it spend some of your ACC physio resources to get someone to spend a couple of sessions at the physio pool giving you exercises to do. The pool’s great advantage is that you can easily control the amount of weight you place on the foot by how far you are in the pool from next to nothing when you start to almost nothing at the end. I went everyday for three months.

Elizabeth
Submitted on 2015/06/07 at 11:00 am | In reply to Mike.
Great advice, will check all this out !! Have prior experience at pool for back and foot injuries requiring no weight loading, twenty years ago. Normally robust individual, good to share ideas in case others find themselves in similar situations and grounding :)

Hype O’Thermia
Submitted on 2015/06/07 at 12:01 pm
When I was supposed to spend as much time as poss with foot elevated I took food & thermos back to bed (radio, books, TV all within reach) and propped leg on a beanbag cushion. It was good for sleeping too, the leg nestles into it and didn’t slip off while I was asleep.

Mike
Submitted on 2015/06/07 at 1:38 pm | In reply to Mike.
I should add that I recently gave the physio pool fund a 4-figure donation – they were so useful to me in my recovery they were worth far more than that to me – really ACC should be dropping some cash on their appeal – the alternative is the movie trope of the person learning to walk again on the parallel bars, and being caught by the physio when they fall …. if the pool goes they’ll essentially have to replace it with lots of physios catching people ….
The “Moana will do” people misunderstand that Moana has no careful stairway access (where you can abandon your crutches on your way down) and the wrong depth profiles for self supported exercise – the physio pool is 1/2 gentle slope so you can carefully match the support you need from the water with 1/4 of the pool essentially available for rehabilitation while sharing it with people using it for exercise of various types.
I don’t much care about how pretty the changing rooms are – that’s not why I used the pool – the existing ones are perfectly serviceable, the showers are hard to navigate on one foot (but use the disabled ones) – IMHO a few more hand rails are all they need.

Elizabeth
Submitted on 2015/06/07 at 2:00 pm | In reply to Mike.
Another great breakdown for the physio pool merits. Thanks.

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One day I might get to the Physio Pool —hopefully, with avoidance of hospitalisation in the meantime.

Dunedin Physio Pool, 140 Hanover Street. Photo: radionz.co.nz

ODT 7.6.15 Comradeship and health benefits too
For Dunedin twins Stephen and Allan Facer, the Otago Therapeutic Pool is about more than injury recovery. It’s a place to heal and keep fit, but also to socialise as part of a keen group of regulars hitting the water at the pool.
Read more

Related Posts and Comments
6.8.14 Otago Therapeutic Pool at Dunedin Hospital
21.8.14 Dirty pool? #SDHB #University

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

WEATHER is not climate change; this is not the 100-year flood

Debate is raging, more comments and posts will surface on Greenie Mayor Cull’s witless screwy remarks at Otago Daily Times today.

Flood will cost ratepayers: Cull
Dunedin’s massive deluge will hit ratepayers in the form of delayed projects and funding reallocations, Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull concedes. […] “This kind of downpour is exactly the kind of climatic change that is predicted for the eastern South Island in the event of unfolding climate change.” […] “My feeling is central government and local government will need to co-operate right around the country and this is a bit of a pre-taste of some of the effects we can expect from climate change and sea level rises,” he said. “I think it would be a bit naïve to think this won’t happen again for another 100 years.”
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/344767/flood-will-cost-ratepayers-cull

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Received from Mick Field
Fri, 5 Jun 2015 at 4:20 p.m.

You might find this interesting in view of all the alarm and hype over the latest flooding. The Green Party is entirely wrong to blame the 3 June Dunedin flooding on climate change. Why? Because they show that the severe flooding two days ago is not new. Unusual, but not unique. A combination of rainfall data and photographs makes these comments as convincing as they were prompt.

22 Apr 1923 Dunedin 230mm in 24 hours
19-20 Mar 1929 Ross Creek (Dunedin outskirts) 279mm in 24 hours
[June 3 2015] was 175mm in 24 hours

The Otago Daily Times said it was double the previous record for a full day since records began in 2006. [But 2006 was only the start of recording rainfall in the city centre rather than Musselburgh, 3 km away.]

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Local experts:

### ODT Online Fri, 5 Jun 2015
Don’t blame climate change for city deluge, weather experts say
By Eileen Goodwin
The flooding in Dunedin on Wednesday was not caused by climate change, a University of Otago climatologist says. “I think this is just a weather event,” Dr Nicolas Cullen, of the department of geography, said.
Read more

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Comments received:

JimmyJones
Submitted on 2015/06/05 at 12:12 am

….Dunedin has experienced two bad floods, one in 1923 and another in 1929. More rain fell in the 24-hour periods than what we got on Tuesday/Wednesday. In the first 1923 flood, 229mm (9.02 inches) fell (measured at Musselburgh) and in 1929, 279mm (11.0 inches) fell (measured at Ross Creek reservoir). Figures are from City of Dunedin, a history by K C McDonald. Our recent big rain was only 175mm in 24 hours. Probably it wasn’t severe enough to be called a one in 100 year event.

Based on these three measurements, it looks like severe rainfall in Dunedin has become less frequent and less intense. And if Tuesday’s flood was caused by Global Warming, then what caused the other floods? If it was the weather that caused the earlier floods, then why would you think that it wasn’t the weather that caused the recent flood?

A very serious problem for crusaders that blame extreme weather on Global warming is that for at least the last 17 years there has been no warming trend of global temperatures. In fact there has been a slight cooling trend. The conclusion is that anything that has happened over the last 17 years can not have been caused by Global Warming (because there has been none). Don’t expect to get credible scientific advice from the Labour Party, Dave Cull or Jinty MacTavish.

Diane Yeldon
Submitted on 2015/06/05 at 10:51 am

Well, I just did a bit of checking and the Resource Management Act was amended in 2004, putting the responsibility fairly and squarely on to local councils to budget and plan for and take responsibility for reasonably anticipated effects of climate change. There’s a guide about what local councils have a legal responsibility to do on the website for the Ministry for the Environment (mfe.govt.nz – local government and climate change).
So Mayor Cull’s contention that central government will or should bail out Dunedin is as fatuous as a similar claim I read in a past Annual Plan document (2011, I think) that central government would (might?) bail the city out if it got into financial strife after committing to the stadium expenditure. (No central government would set such a precedent, rewarding financial irresponsibility on the part of a local body!)
Mayor Cull’s claims that maintenance is up to scratch and that 100-plus-year-old pipes held up as well as could be expected are ridiculous. He is merely asserting that the DCC is not at fault in any way. And trying to offload the responsibility for any climate change effects on to central government when councils have known since 2004 that it was a local government responsibility. Even if you think climate change is a myth, it seems prudent to protect a city against a 1 in a 100 years weather event. I wonder if the DCC can truthfully say they have been doing that.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Exchange makeover —or pumps and pipe renewals, um

Image: National Library of New Zealand

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COUNCIL NEWS

### ODT Online Tue, 26 May 2015
Council goes with Exchange revamp
By Chris Morris
The Dunedin City Council is to press ahead with a $1.1 million plan to revamp Exchange Square and create new car-free zones in the Warehouse Precinct. Councillors at yesterday’s full council meeting voted to approve both projects for public consultation over the next few months, which could be followed by construction later this year. Plans for the Exchange envisaged a $602,000 revamp, paid for from existing budgets and including a new layout, new grey-blue concrete paving, furniture, plantings and LED lighting.
Read more

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During Long Term Plan deliberations, the council had brought forward a $602,000 upgrade of Exchange Square. Tony Offen says he supports the council’s plans, but wants to have more direct input to help refine the details.

### ODT Online Thu, 4 Jun 2015
Exchange should be ‘showcase’
By Chris Morris
A new group created to push for improvements in Dunedin’s Exchange says the area should be a “showcase” for the city. Tony Offen, a Dunedin businessman and John Wickliffe House co-owner, has created the group Vibrant Exchange to work with the Dunedin City Council on planned improvements. The informal movement so far represented the building’s co-owners and their interests, but Mr Offen told the Otago Daily Times he hoped to expand the group’s reach over time.
Read more

AGREE. POSITIVE. OWN THAT SPACE.
Businesses in the Exchange Area should not accept carte blanche anything proposed, detailed or supervised by the Conflicted Hat mural pushing make-believer(s) scarcely out of shorts. And who was it, dishonest enough NOT to declare the $600,000 unspent budget at Transportation Planning, which was SUDDENLY (!!) prostituted for the cause – when council departments had been asked to flag unspent budgets for potential retirement of council debt. Of course, this low manoeuvre stabs to the very heart of motives. Those of our DCC chief executive, frothed by the boy scout, sullied by the likes of Bendan Grope and Death Cull riding the back of the penultimate vote-catching Pet Project.

Anyhow, businesses/property investors are more fully capable of leading and dispensing greater aesthetics and improved public facilities than DCC, with its penchant for UGLY bloody curb protrusions and cycle lanes.

Then. South Dunedin went to flood.

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█ Wikipedia: Princes Street, Dunedin

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr