Councillors face backlash over Gisborne’s Grey St project

A section of what has become a controversial Grey St Streets For People project pictured from the Childers Road end. Cr Andy Cranston says councillors have been "getting it in the neck'' over the new road layout which is being trialled. Photo / Paul Rickard

“We’re getting it in the neck.”

That is how long-serving Gisborne district councillor Andy Cranston describes unfavourable public feedback concerning the controversial Streets for People Grey St project.

He told councillors - at last week’s full council meeting during the chief executive’s monthly report - he had been sworn at over the project.

“At the Skate Park last week, someone lent out of their window and abused me. We’re getting it in the neck – all of us.”

Cranston said he attended a consultation meeting in Ūawa concerning its proposed Streets for People project.

It was well attended and the original plan had been amended.

Originally, some locals had been “quite hostile”, but he was reasonably confident the Ūawa public supported the project.

Cr Teddy Thompson has questioned the effectiveness of the public consultation undertaken for the Grey St project being driven by Tairāwhiti Adventure Trust (TAT).

Mayor Rehette Stoltz said the Grey St project had been the first where an outside organisation ran the consultation and gained outside funding.

Feeback had been positive and negative.

The project was a trial, she reiterated.

“Let’s see what comes out of it because what is the alternative?”

The project (90 percent) was predominantly being funded by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.

TAT had run projects to rebuild the skate park, build a new pump track across the road, and a pump track in Ūawa, “so, they do have a good record”.

The mayor said she had broad shoulders and could receive positive and negative feedback “because “only then can we make an informed decision.

“I know there is a lot of unhappiness and I know there is a group of people who feel very aggrieved by it.”

But the public would be able to tell after one year what worked and what did not.

“It needs to go through one summer to see the interaction with people.”

Cr Tony Robinson said he supported “giving it a go”. Grey St was a one-year trial and a great initiative. The project was a” very small step” in terms of long-term big steps such as reducing the district’s carbon footprint.

He had heard complaints that the journey from the beach to town now took longer.

“Really? By 15 seconds, 30 seconds. Far out, move on please people,” he said.

Cr Josh Wharehinga said people often asked for community involvement as the community knew better than the council.

He was proud the council had supported a community organisation “for a principled good reason”.

The council had been left “holding the baby” and “it sucks”, but councillors “put our hand up” to receive such feedback.

“We have to give it a go”.

Wharehinga said he wanted to know when the 12-month trial period ended, what would be the terms for the review and what would be the review responsibilities between the council and NZTA Waka Kotahi.

The Streets for People Grey St Project came up for brief discussion earlier in the meeting when councillors formally adopted the Te Tairāwhiti Regional Land Transport Plan and the Te Tairāwhiti Regional Public Transport Plan.

Cr Debbie Gregory, who sits on the Regional Land Transport Committee, told councillors the committee’s decision to remove the word permanent in reference to the Grey St project had not happened in the Plan.

The word was removed, reiterating the Grey St project was a trial.