Meeting obligations . . .

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

I write regarding councillor attendance records.

Is there a problem on council with attendance and are the percentages mentioned in the paper acceptable? Surely not a scandal? At what stage does non-attendance become an issue that requires remedies?

Health and safety matters must surely be bona fide reasons to be absent. Terrible roads don’t help. Remuneration is “a barrier”, I read, yet locally we have strong interest in standing for council.

I believe we have good-calibre councillors. What needs to be done to help our councillors meet their obligations? Does the Mayor have answers?

In these uncertain times we need representatives who can measure up to the standards set by local council icons Pat Seymour and Bill Burdett of years past.

My plea to the council is to not be split into two sides over attendance or limited attendance. Come together, please, and help each other out — as you are all on the same team, working for us ratepayers. With rates rising in the future, we don’t need humbug.

Ian Procter

Don’t need humbug