The Premium Debate: Two-vote Tauranga City Council representation model is unbelievable

Tauranga City Council met on Monday to discuss the make-up of future councils. Photo / George Novak

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Commissioners have agreed a new representation model for Tauranga City Council (News, November 9). Only the mayor will be voted in at large, with eight ward councillors each elected by a different area of the city, and one Māori ward councillor.

This is totally unbelievable. I can now only vote for the mayor and one other when previously I could vote for six people. It's hardly worth the effort to send me a voting form. This will not help Tauranga at all.
Mike B

In reply to Mike B: True. And only if it does happen this way, and only if you bother to vote; a majority of ratepayers in NZ do not. Just possibly, ratepayers may be better motivated to vote, given that they will be closer to their representative.
Graham C

Blow the election, let's just keep the commissioners on…at least until we can find prospective councillors who want to get on with the business of the day. People who can keep their personalities at home and not see Council as a game.
Carol H

In reply to Carol H: They are costing us a fortune and so far have made some unbelievable decisions.
Mike B

Given our unique circumstances, this article is worthy of wider dissemination. The comment that "it's personalities which caused the collapse of the last council" may be accurate, but it's the system of at large councillors that facilitated the rise of the "personalities".
Graham C

- Republished comments may be edited at the editor's discretion.

Letters to the editor

What are they doing to Cameron Rd?

I am absolutely amazed at what they are doing to Cameron Rd. You have only two roads to the downtown area and Cameron Rd is the main feeder.

Unfortunately, the city downtown is on a peninsular and this work is killing Tauranga - in my view, it needs to be four lanes, no buses, no cyclists wobbling on roads.

In 1956, when I lived and worked in Tauranga, it had a wonderful bus service down all the avenues, but not big buses. There were also cyclists on right-hand footpaths - this side is quite wide, that's where they should be.

There needs to be a road hub at 11th Avenue and feeder roads coming off there or at Greerton - look what has been done there. In my opinion, it has caused havoc and danger.

Four lanes need to go to Barkes Corner as well. It is creating an unhealthy city with people stuck in congestion with idling cars.

Downtown Tauranga has also been killed, along with The Strand, where you should have people and colourful shops and cafes. Devonport Rd is the same.

The councils are clogging up the roads with bad planning. Look at Te Puke - cars are idling all day every day, from Domain Rd to Paengaroa.

It's cruelty to people - we badly need to take charge of our own communities.

Joan Dugmore
Tauranga and Te Puke

Throw border breachers in jail

I reckon there are thousands like me who are thoroughly upset with the cheeky people who think they are being clever by crossing borders without permission, even if they are not Covid-positive.

I think it is time to identify them and maybe give them jail time. Like 14 days in lockdown at a suitable site and photos and names in the press.

Make it widely known that these acts have consequences and there are no outs.

It's gone past the point with behaviour that directly contradicts what is required of us all.

Pod Petterson
Rotorua

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