Bernard Orsman: Vulcan Lane pitches Hubbard against officials

Vulcan Lane's storm in a latte cup is turning into a credibility test between Mayor Dick Hubbard and the bureaucratic establishment at city hall.

In the space of a few weeks, Hubbard has wandered out to see the lane first hand and listened carefully to the passionate views of fashionistas and an avalanche of public opinion seeking to preserve the slightly down-at-heel feel and look of the stylish pedestrian strip.

The mayor's response is entirely at odds with officers, who have failed to produce any evidence to suggest that the original consultation process was nothing short of a sham and shown themselves hell-bent on a modern makeover.

Even after the public outcry, officers declared "we are wedded to bluestone" and carried on their agenda behind Hubbard's back.

At two workshops this week officers sprung a new plan, heavily slanted in favour of bluestone. They had virtually nothing positive to say about keeping the existing pavers but were glowing about bluestone and granite.

Zambesi owner Neville Findlay called the latest exercise another "snow job", saying the mayor was listening but officers were out of earshot.

Hubbard was warned about council officers when he came to power 10 months ago by Auckland University academic and city council historian Graham Bush: "Don't let them tell you they have got no particular policy agenda...senior council officers, who are making it a lifetime career, do have ideas about how the council should be run."

The fuss over Vulcan Lane is a case in point. It touched a chord that Hubbard has picked up but angered the entrenched view of officers, who dug in their heels.

This blinkered drive not only undermines public confidence in the council but is sabotaging a new style of leadership Hubbard is working hard on after the aggressive and abrasive approach of his predecessor John Banks.

Hubbard's style is based on listening carefully and working behind the scenes to get results. It has worked in the case of buying the prime coastal gateway at Matiatia and is being used to try to save the Jean Batten Building from the bulldozers.

A solution for Vulcan Lane, one of the few bright spots in the city, would be closer if officers were in tune with the mayor and public opinion.

A black mark must go to new chief executive David Rankin, who promised fresh leadership, but has done nothing about the incredulous behaviour of his staff towards public opinion and the office of the mayor.

At the very least, he should be insisting on the words of Justice Andrew McGechan that consultation should be a reality, not a charade.