Editorial: Consultation lacking in purchase of cafe

It makes a lot of sense for the Rotorua Museum to own and run its own cafe - why it wasn't in the first place is another question.

But, the process involved in the recent purchase of the Rotorua Museum cafe by the district council is another example of its flawed consultation process.

Councillor Glenys Searancke's statement saying the $260,000 deal - to be funded by more debt - was "scandalous" and should have been put before all elected members also makes a lot of sense.

The decision was made by less than half of the council's elected members - by its executive committee - made up of the mayor, deputy mayor and the chairs of four committees.

The vote to purchase was close, 3-2 in favour, however, Mrs Searancke, who is also part of the executive committee, was away.

Two other councillors have asked the Office of the Auditor-General to look into the finances behind the purchase.

So I ask why, considering the Annual Plan process was under way, was the proposal not included in the draft Annual Plan for public consultation?

After all, it is a significant amount of ratepayer money.

If the process was open and transparent then there would be no reason for other councillors, or ratepayers, to feel left out.

As for the claim there is a rift between councillors, I sincerely hope they do not agree on everything they discuss - democracy is all about informed debate.

That said, there seems to have been little in the way of informed debate regarding the cafe between our elected members, or the Rotorua ratepayer.

Remembering the council was fined $115,000 by the Environment Court for misleading local iwi and the court during a recent resource consent application - also due to a failure in its consultation process.

Yes, the cafe may be an attractive business proposition and I have no doubt museum director Stewart Brown, who has an extensive commercial business background, will do a good job of running it.

But, it's the way our elected representatives went about it which troubles me.

Do some of them think consultation is a necessary evil or the right of every ratepaying citizen?