Napier residents won't get opportunity to re-consider pool

Councillor Richard McGrath argues his case during council's meeting today regarding the controversial pools. Photo Paul Taylor.

Napier residents will not be re-consulted on the Napier Aquatic Centre, council decided today .

Councillors voted not to re-consult on the issue in front of about 100 vocal members of the public, nine of who presented to council on the issue.

Councillor Kirsten Wise said the decision today was not about where the pool should be located, but whether the process to reach the process was robust, fair and transparent.

"As councillors we have been presented with significant new information since the adoption of the Long Term Plan, we have had countless meetings."

"And yet our community has only been invited to one public meeting on the 4th of December to seek information an ask questions on the proposal."

"We were elected to represent our community and what is important is our community feels they have been heard."

She said council had a legal and moral obligaltion to reconsult.

Councillor Maxine Boag said this was an opportunity to restore trust with the community, after failing to consult with the public on several issues, such as Easter Sunday Trading and the War Memorial decision.

Deputy mayor Faye White said while she respected it was a emotive issue, there were real issues with the Onekawa site which needed to be remembered.

"We know the Onekawa site is a disused landfill on unstable land. Therefore it is a risk."

"We need to look at the best future outcome for our community."

David Kamper, who lead a petition to have the pools stay where it currently is, said the decision needed to be made in the best interest of the community.

"It is about the community not about the aspirations of elected members or council staff."

"Let's restore the mana of council and listen to the community."

Robin Gwynn, who took council to court over the lack of consultation on Easter Sunday Trading, said he felt the consultation process was similar to Easter Sunday Trading.

He said he would not be taking the council to court again, but would not be surprised if someone did over this decision.

Principal of Tamatea High School Robin Fabish, spoke against re-consulting, saying he thought many kids from lower decile schools used free swimming spaces, such as Pandora Pond, rather than paying to go to the pools.

The meeting was called after six councillors said they felt the decision making process had been flawed.

The councillors voted seven to six against re-consulting.

The councillors who voted for re-consulting on the issue were Kirsten Wise, Tony Jeffery, Richard McGrath, Maxine Boag, Api Tapine and Larry Dallimore. Those against were Mayor Bill Dalton, Faye White, Claire Hague, Keith Price, Graeme Taylor, Tania Wright and Annette Brosnan .