1st - Kaipara Konnection - Dargaville.BIZ

“Stories of imagination tend to upset those without one.”
-- Terry Pratchett
So What’s In Store For Us Next Year?
Tis the season to be merry or so the traditional Christmas Carol
goes. From this weekend we will have to sit back and watch as our
Country starts the annual, farcical, shut down of all Government
and Local Government activities and services. Even the Novapay
system wont have to worry about paying our teachers because they
(and it presumably) will go on holiday for at least 4 calendar weeks
or even longer. In between the overeating and binge drinking that
seems to characterise the “silly season” our public servants will
have time to think about what they can dream up for 2013. Scary..
Here is what our 4 ministerial appointed Commissioners are tasked
with for the first 6 months of 2013
Phase two — January to June 2013
The Commissioners will:
• identify the full extent of the problems faced by the Council (building on the work of the Review Team and the Auditor-
General’s report);
• work with the Council’s Chief Executive to build capability and capacity within the Council organisation in many key
areas, including asset and financial management;
• continue to work with the Kaipara community and ratepayers and the Department of Internal Affairs to progress options
to deal with invalidly set rates and other legal compliance matters (if any);
• progress the development and implementation of strategies required to address the problems faced by the Council.
This will include initiating a review of the Counci1’s strategic and policy framework and considering whether an
amendment is required to the adopted 20l2—22 long-term plan to provide the Council with a more sustainable operating
model and equitable funding base for the future;
• develop a comprehensive communications strategy to ensure effective engagement with the community and iwi; and
• adopt a 2013/14 annual plan and set the rates for 2013/14.
Item 3 in the above list has some interesting possibilities. The commissioners are required by their boss the minister to
“deal with invalidly set rates” but how can this happen? They have already said that the illegal rates are not illegal until a
High Court decides that they are. Are they now going to wipe the egg off their faces and go to the High Court - at great
expense to the residents and ratepayers of the Kaipara - to get a judgment on what the Council has already agreed was
an illegal setting of rates in Mangawhai way back on 4 th June 2011. Mayor Neil Tiller even offered a public apology for
this. Of course the figure has crept up somewhat since that newspaper article and is now apparently more than double
New AsiAN RestAuRANt
RestAuRANt
73 Victoria Street Dargaville. Phone (09) 439 8388
Dine in - Takeaways - Open 7 Days - Licenced