Angry residents speak out at hearing

Oceanbeach Rd resident Antje Horadians-Lankenau urged council to stop using toxic sprays on the city's sand dunes.

Angry mount and Papamoa residents have told how toxic chemicals sprayed onto sand dunes by council staff near their homes has killed insects, birds and native lizards.

Four days of draft annual plan hearings kicked off in council chambers at 9am today, with ratepayers taking the opportunity to speak to elected members about how proposed cuts and changes would affect them.

Oceanbeach Rd resident Anije Horadians-Lankenau was one of three ratepayers that urged council to stop using toxic chemicals on sand dunes around their properties.

She told council when contractors were out spraying she "couldn't breathe" her eyes watered and she had trouble breathing.

Wild life in the dune near her property was "practically destroyed" because of the spray, she said.

"Butterflies, birds, native lizards and other insects, you are killing them off," she said."'I found three dead sparrows after the last round of spraying, they had not been hit by cars, they were not torn up by cats, they are being affected by sprays."

Another resident, Beverly Dowling told council she was "too scared" to let her grandchildren through the dune walkways to the beach because of the toxic chemicals.

Sue Furey said the sprays had a drift of up to 15 meters and were killing plants and trees in residents gardens.

She said councils spray program was "confused" and did not consider public safety or wildlife.

"One spray, Grazon is used thick and fast despite labels on the product saying it should not be used near water. Well, you have a lot of water on the other side of these dunes."

Submitters have also so far spoken against councils proposals to cut swimming pool hours and increase entrance fees, the Phoenix carpark and mobile shop fees, which council plan on putting up by 230 percent to $750 per year.

Tauranga lawyer Vanessa Hamm told council they should look at vesting the Memorial Pool to Tauranga Swimming Club so the facility could be used year round.

There are other things you could do besides cutting hours, she said.

The hearings will run until from 9am until approximately 2pm from today until Thursday.

A late night hearing will be held tomorrow night until around 8.30pm.