Flip-flop likely on Maori budget

Auckland Super City Mayor Len Brown. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Auckland councillors crying foul at the "underhand process" of approving a $3.4 million budget for the Maori Statutory Board were given two chances to discuss the matter beforehand, says council chief executive Doug McKay.

Some councillors, led by Citizens & Ratepayers co-leader Christine Fletcher and Orakei representative Cameron Brewer, have been highly critical of the process since voting in favour of the funding package at a finance committee meeting last Tuesday.

They vented their anger in a letter to Mayor Len Brown and Mr McKay, calling the process completely unacceptable and demanding answers to the "underhand process".

The letter was signed by nine of the 20 councillors.

The public uproar over the budget has sparked a blame game.

Local Government Minister Rodney Hide has blamed the council.

Mr Brown has hit back and sent the matter back to the full council today for a likely cutback.

Mrs Fletcher, Mr Brewer and other councillors are planning a flip-flop today.

In his letter - obtained last night by the Herald - Mr McKay has apologised for the "less than ideal" process that, he said, suffered from a level of confusion around the poorly drafted legislation and challengingly tight timeframes.

Mr McKay outlined the process, which required the council to draw up a funding agreement with the board three months from its first meeting on December 13.

The process included the appointment of a consultant, Angus Davidson, to help the board develop a draft funding agreement and work with council officers throughout January.

A board subcommittee completed a draft agreement on February 4, it went to a council workshop on February 7, and the finance committee on February 8.

Mr McKay said workshops were organised to allow councillor discussion on the funding. He said there was no intention to short-circuit consideration of this "important matter".

Yesterday, Mr Brewer said: "Yes as councillors we'd talked about the role of the board, but we never got a real chance to talk about the $3.4 million.

He added that the finance committee "reluctantly agreed to adopt the figure for further public consultation".

"However, it wasn't until we took stock that realised we'd actually been hoodwinked."

Mrs Fletcher declined to comment on the letter.

Waitemata & Gulf councillor Mike Lee said the matter should be sent back to Mr Hide to be resolved by Parliament.

HOW WE GOT HERE

Dec 13: Board meets and appoints consultant Angus Davidson to help with funding agreement.
January: Council officers and Davidson work on developing an agreement.
Jan 27: Workshop for councillors.
Feb 4: Board subcommittee completes draft agreement.
Feb 7: Workshop for councillors.
Feb 8: Finance committee unanimously approves $3.4 million funding agreement.
Feb 10: After backlash on budget, Mayor Len Brown says the agreement will go to full council.
Today: Full council review.
Tomorrow: Statutory deadline for funding agreement.