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The Porirua Wellington Web Blog - January 2006

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Porirua City Councillor Robert Shaw

FROM THE DOMINION-POST: "Staff error costs Porirua city $136,000"

The council agreed to waive $136,962 in fees – payable to Greater Wellington regional council, on whose behalf it collects rates in the city – in exchange for the regional council taking no further action against it for using incorrect information to assess its share of regional rates for the 2006 financial year.

These are calculated from estimates provided by local authorities of the ratable value of properties within their area. The Porirua error caused valuations on some properties to be wrongly assessed, leading to a $230,321 shortfall in the expected regional council rates take.

In a confidential report to the city council in October, its support services general manager Keith Miller said the regional council was notified about the error as soon as it was realised.

"The advice was that the estimate was incorrect because Porirua City Council had incomplete knowledge of their new computer system and the report they generated counted some rating units twice."

He told The Dominion Post: "It's a staff error, we're quite honest about that and I put our hands up for that. The issue for us was that we had new staff, using new systems with a new valuation so it's very easy for that error to creep through undetected."

Because of the $136,962 waiver the council would be short that amount from this year's finance budget.

The regional council had agreed to "wear on the chin" the nearly $94,000 it was still short. It recorded a $10.8 million operating surplus last year. "Both councils regard the matter as resolved and finished. I think our council accepts that people aren't perfect and occasionally mistakes get made."

City council chief executive Roger Blakeley said the risk had increased because new staff started at the same time new software was introduced and a change in valuations was made.

"Any time that happens there is a loss of knowledge and historical understanding of our processes."

A regional council spokesman said the issue was resolved 'amicably'. "

ROBERT COMMENTS

The error at the Council table was to take the item in publicly-excluded business. Our Council has never been able to keep secrets. And, what is more important, the ratepayers - whose money is involved - have a right to know. The officers of the Council have to learn that the embarrassment is not a sufficient reason to keep something away from the public.
r
Saturday, January 28, 2006

WHY IS THE "PORIRUA NEWS" CALLED THE "PORIRUA NEWS"?

Most of the stories are not about Porirua, and the few that are about Porirua are not really news. The feature of opinion on "the streets" records the opinion of people outside of Porirua City. The only thing that relates to Porirua consistently is the balance of the advertisements.

Those who have been around for a while remember Te Awa Iti, its sale, and its becoming the Porirua News. That is how the name appeared and for years it ran Porirua news.

And, who knows who Winston was? I will tell you. He was the dog that the editor of paper, Don Polly, ran as a Labour Party candidate. Don said that if Labour stood a dog it would be elected, and ran a series of ads to make his point. There were some real characters in Porirua in those days, and the present mayor, Jenny Brash, was a dedicated community nurse in Cannons Creek. Don Borrie had a parish and he lived right in the middle of that very active community. I remember visiting him at his house for meetings. I lived at Pukerua Bay and was said to represent the north of the City (in some ill defined non-elected way - Porirua has always been a place with committees crowded with people representing other committees). That was a little before the formation of the Porirua City Social Justice Unit. I became its first secretary of the Social Justice Unit which was funded by the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches. In my loft just the other day, I found copies of the submissions I wrote in that capacity.
r
Thursday, January 26, 2006

COUNCILLOR LITEA AH HOI TRYING TO HAVE PI ISSUES ADDRESSED

Talofa Roger
Your phone call yesterday did not outline this meeting with the forum was due to concerns raised by Taima and I according to Loren's email below.

The meeting Taima had requested last year via email was not only to raise concerns about our experience at the forums last known public AGM concerning proposed changes to the constitution that became very clear, no-one understood fully.  This was made clear to you in Taima's email hence our request for a meeting with you and the mayor.

Taima and I were rasing these issues on behalf of forum members that felt disenfranchised from within, as well as members of the P.I. community that attended that meeting.  I have requested several times through our officers for the forum to come to council and advise of an update of where they're at, this offer was continuously declined by the forum.

The meeting Taima and I were wanting was to also ascertain an update from our last meeting, which included yourself, the mayor, the Hon Winnie Laban, Taima and myself.  To date, Taima and I have not had a response to our request for this meeting, and yet the email below from Lorren is requesting a meeting to discuss the concerns of Taima and I.  I find this absolute ludicrous given Taima and I have not met with yourself or the mayor as our request to outline our concerns.

I have not seen this email from Loreen until now, so if your meeting next week to discuss our concerns, as per Lorren's email below, I'll invite the media, the public have every right to know what is happening.
litea

----- Original Message ----- From: "Roger Blakeley - PCC" <RBlakeley@pcc.govt.nz>
To: <t.fagaloa@whitireia.ac.nz> ; "Euon Murrell" <murrells@xtra.co.nz> ; <liz@kellyhygiene.co.nz> ; <twaters@paradise.net.nz> ; "Jenny Brash" <JBrash@pcc.govt.nz> ; <john.green@paradise.net.nz> ; <litea.mufasa@xtra.co.nz> ; <marilyn.ken@xtra.co.nz> ; "Maureen Gillon (E-mail)" <mgillon@rnzcgp.org.nz> ; "Naureen Palmer (E-mail)" <naureenp@familystart-porirua.org.nz> ; "Rob Rangi" <rob.rangi@xtra.co.nz> ; <robert.shaw@paradise.net.nz> ; <suedow@paradise.net.nz> ; <TAMNAGH@paradise.net.nz>
Cc: "Sue Veart - PCC" <SVeart@pcc.govt.nz> ; "Moira Lawler - PCC" <Mlawler@pcc.govt.nz> ; "Janet Carlyle - PCC" <JCARLYLE@pcc.govt.nz> ; "Seanoa Faraimo - PCC" <SFaraimo@pcc.govt.nz>
Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 5:28 PM
Subject: Invitation from Pacific Island Forum


HWTM AND COUNCILLORS

Several Councillors received an email on Monday 9th January 2006 from
Lorreen Hartley, Manager Pacific Island Forum concerning a  proposed
meeting on Thursday 19th January 2006 at 3.00pm on the 6th floor, Porirua
City Council Administration Building   (I have attached her email at the
bottom of this email if you want to refer to it) .

This email  is to give further information about the  purpose of the
meeting, and advise that it will not take place on Thursday 19 January 2006
because   Hon  Luamanuvao Winnie Laban MP  is not available on that date.
An alternative date we are checking out is 1 pm Friday 27 January 2006-I
will confirm as soon as I am able to.

The Forum is facilitating this meeting as the first of its quarterly report
meetings under the Memorandum of Agreement between the Pacific Island Forum
and the Porirua City Council.

The meeting will have three main Agenda items:

1.                  Report on the Pacific Island Forum's activities and
discussion

2.                  Discussion of outstanding issues in relation to the
Proposed Pacific Village, including the request from the Pacific Island
Forum to Mayor Jenny Brash and  Hon  Luamanuvao Winnie Laban MP for letters
of support.
3.                  Proposal to review the Memorandum of Agreement between
the Pacific Island Forum and the Porirua City Council, to build on and learn
from experiences to date.
The meeting will be held on the 6th floor of the PCC Administration
Building.

The following may be useful background information:
1.                  The Pacific Island Forum was established by the Porirua
Pacific Island Communities "for the purposes of creating an environment that
advances the social and economic development  and  the well-being of Pacific
Island nations and their people".  The Forum seeks to be a collective voice,
and actioning committee on behalf of the Porirua Pacific communities.

The Pacific Island Forum provides advice to Council on Pacific Island
communities' interests and concerns.

The Council ensures a constructive relationship is established and
maintained with the Forum and to have a strong understanding of the breadth
of the Pacific Island communities' issues and interests.  The Council
provides a lump sum grant.  A copy of the Memorandum of Agreement is
attached.

2.                  The proposal for a Pacific Village has previously been
presented by the Forum to the Recreation, Cultural and Community Services
Committee.  In developing this concept, the Pacific Island Forum has been
working with agencies such as Housing NZ Corporation and Ministry of Social
Development.  The Forum has sought a letter of support from Mayor Jenny
Brash and from  Hon  Luamanuvao Winnie Laban MP, in support of the Forum's
initiative including their dealings with the Government agencies.  Before
signing such a letter, Mayor Jenny Brash has sought assurance on
sustainability of funding for the initiative and the "ownership" through
consultation with the Pacific Island nations communities on the proposal.
Information has been provided on these points and it is expected that the
meeting will provide further information .

This  will be  a meeting of the Pacific Island Forum, and the Chairperson
Ron Hagan is extending an invitation to the Mayor and Councillors who would
like to attend, Chief Executive and relevant staff.  I will further advise
as soon as a date is confirmed.
Regards ,  Roger

Roger Blakeley
Chief Executive
Porirua City Council
Phone: +64 4 237 1401
Fax: + 64 4 237 1443
Mobile: 0275 324 869
Email:  <mailto:rblakeley@pcc.govt.nz> rblakeley@pcc.govt.nz

COUNCILLORS' VISION

Vision Specialists Optometrists Limited make a good offer to the councillors - a discounted test, glasses and so on. It might be observed that they are not the only group in the City that believes the councllors need help with their vision.
r
Sunday, January 15, 2006

PACIFIC ISLAND FORUM - WHAT DO THEY DO AND WHAT THEY COST?

ROBERT COMMENTS

I am trying to find out what this Forum costs the ratepayers. The best I can figure at the moment is as follows. I leave it to readers to calculate the total.

Project 1: $91.617.00

Project 2: $28,918.00

Project 3: $31,668.00

Project 4: $ 57,578.00

Project grants:

Vainetini Anganga Rima $3000 – Mama Arts Group
Porirua Fijian Community $5000 – Youth & Matua
Matavai Mo’ui $5000 – Traditional Tongan Music
Wellington Fakaofa Community $5000 - Youth
Taeamanino Trust $5000 – Youth at Risk Coordinator
Te Akamata Anga Ou $5000 – Youth Radio Station
Cannons Creek Opportunity Centre $5000 – Training for volunteers
Porirua Community Guardians $5000 – Crime Prevention
Porirua Tongan Community $2000 – Youth Barbershop

REPORTING DOCUMENTS

15 December 2005
Maree O’Leary
Family & Community Services (FACS)
Ministry of Social Development
PO Box 27504 WELLINGTON

Dear Maree,
PORIRUA PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM PROGRESS REPORT
Please find attached our Progress Report for July – November 2005. As you know we have
had a change over in staff and we are currently in the stages of project planning and
implementation. In amongst all the various changes and challenges that organisation
faces, we are pleased that we have achieved a number of project strands in the first 6-
months.

We hope with your support that we may be able to deliver the best outcomes for the
Pacific community in Porirua.

The financial data supplied is of November 2005. As per conversations with you, I have
attached a revised budget for your information.
Yours Sincerely,
Ron Hagan / Vaaiga Maiava
CHAIRPERSON / DEPUTY CHAIR

Background Information
According to the 2001 Census and the 2005 Porirua City Council’s City Profile, 27% of
Porirua City’s population is of Pacific Island descent who predominately reside in Eastern
Porirua, a state housing area. The population of Porirua City is 47,292 (data from the 2001
Census) and with current estimates based on Statistics NZ projection data suggest that
there is now 50,600. Based on this projection, it is estimated that over 13,660 Pacific People
reside in Porirua City.

A recently produced report, Map to the Future Community Planning Eastern Porirua 2005
prepared by Rosie Gallen, Housing NZ Community Renewal, and in partnership with
Eastern Porirua Residents & Ratepayers, Cannons Creek Opportunity Centre, Maraeroa
Marae and Porirua City Council, tells us that Eastern Porirua is made up of numerous
dynamic and vibrant communities encompassing groupings ranging from the
geographical, cultural, religious, ethnic, sporting, school church, business and gangs.
“Eastern style” is often used to describe a different way of being than the rest of Porirua
City. Distinct, multi-cultural, relaxed, friendly and spiritual. Others argue that it is
unruly, untidy and bleak. No two opinions are the same. You like it or dislike it, there can
be no doubt, it is considered home for over 13,000 Pacific residents.
Of those surveyed, over 87% give Eastern Porirua a high rating as a place to live, and of
that, 38% rate it a 10/10. This is a very high percentage of people satisfied with living
and/or working in Eastern Porirua.

Responses from the general community include:
Eastern Porirua likes - people who are kind, friendly, helpful and supportive; a Multicultural
community; the shops, proximity to shops and sense of community networks.
Eastern Porirua dislikes - graffiti, youth out on streets (truancy & at night) and rubbish.
Improvements - youth activities & services, clean up graffiti, streets and an upgrade of
Waitangirua Mall.

Responses from the youth community include:
Eastern Porirua likes - schools, shops, people, swimming pool and playgrounds.
Eastern Porirua dislikes - graffiti, rubbish & littering, gangs, stealing & robbery and
fighting.
Improvements - cleanup graffiti, rubbish & no littering, more playgrounds & recreation
areas, clean up Cannons Creek lakes and streets.
3
PROJECT 1
Capacity Building for Porirua Pacific Islands’ Youth

Rationale:
- an outcome of the Pacific Consultation meeting on 19th February 2004 was that
Pacific nation groups identified youth development and activities as a priority
- nations agreed that programmes and/or projects be identified and implemented by
each nation and/or collaboratively as Pacific peoples’ - nations to define
- youth programmes and/or projects which will build a stronger Pacific community,
increase the capacity of Pacific Peoples’ and reduce the need for social exclusion [as
per SCAF intention]
The aim is to provide a platform and capacity build Pacific youth to be advocates for the
local Pacific Youth community. Key aims are leadership development and
empowerment.

As the community identified young people as being an area of need and the future leaders
of Porirua, New Zealand their Pacific Island group, the Porirua Pacific Islands Forum, on
behalf of the Porirua Pacific community, want to contribute to projects that young people
identify and other projects that assist in understanding where Pacific youth are at in terms
of education, health, family and community connectedness, etc. It is commonly known
that Pacific youth generally lack cultural identity in relation to their Pacific Island group
and identify more with the NZ culture. Language and culture retention is one of the key
issues here.

There are two objectives to this project. The first relates to the establishment of a Pacific
Youth Forum aged 13-24 years. Each Pacific nation group has nominated at least two
youth representatives and representation from Maori and European groups may be
represented – this was raised by the young people themselves as being appropriate. The
second objective relates to Youth Projects. Once the Youth Forum is operational (planning
meeting in January 06), they will identify youth needs and projects. This may also include
modes of communication and consultation with other young people such as texting, chat
room, workshops and events. A background paper for the Youth Forum will be
developed in time for the January 06 meeting which will outline the pool of funds
available for these identified projects, project areas (such as education, resiliency, youth
suicide, scholarships, family connectedness), timeframes and evaluation.

Other projects have been identified by Pacific community leaders which include Early
Childhood capacity building, an After School Programme (August-December 05), a
Literature Review on Youth Education which includes working in collaboration with
Pacific Researchers at the Research Centre for Families at Victoria University to gather
data on Pacific achievers and under-achievers in education, including where Pacific Youth
transition on to from compulsory education – whether it be to tertiary institutions or
wananga, employment, benefits or none of these categories. It is envisaged that most of
this data is held with the Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education Commission, Ministry
of Pacific Island Affairs and Ministry of Social Development (WINZ). It is widely
understood that these government departments have undertaken research on Pacific
youth education and transition, however, the data is held within these departments and in
order to understand the issues young people face, it is important that we understand the
full picture which the Literature Review is envisaged to offer. Such data will include the
statistics of the 18-24 age group on the Domestic Purposes Benefit 186 Samoan (49 16-19
years & 137 20-24 years), 76 Cook Island (18 16-19 years & 58 20-24 years) and 48
Tokelauan (18 16-19 years & 30 20-24 years). Teenage pregnancy is an issue that has been
identified and we need to understand Pacific youth better to turn these statistics into
action points in Porirua.

Outcomes
1. Consult with Pacific communities – for the Porirua Pacific Islands community to
identify and prioritise community needs.
2. Youth Forum established – to provide a direct voice to the Porirua Pacific Islands
Forum, as a whole-community; to develop a Terms of Reference; to raise the profile and
identity of Pacific Youth; to identify needs and priorities for at-risk youth, achievers and
those youth in between; to engage youth in other projects such as Youth Suicide Research,
possible website design and digital resource development.
3. Youth projects identified, implemented & evaluated by the Youth Forum – to develop a
list of priority areas through a participatory planning process, to self-identify projects that
are youth led, evaluated and run within budget.
4. Youth projects identified, implemented & evaluated by the community:
a) After School Programme – to meet the needs of working families; to improve the
relationship between the Forum, family and school; to strengthen Pacific values &
beliefs; to provide homework support; encourage recreation participation; a shortterm
measure in order to get OSCAR registration and accreditation.
b) Early Childhood capacity building – to up-skill, inform and educate OSCAR
Supervisor on current standards, practices, methods, etc.
c) Youth Education Literature Review – to identify Pacific youth needs in postcompulsory
education; to profile youth outcomes from a range of research and
data available across government departments as to where Pacific Youth are going
to post-compulsory education; to make links into other city initiatives such as
Youth Transition. There is data available across many departments and this
initiative will gather in this data into one place to identify where Pacific youth are
at in terms of secondary school education and where they go to post secondary
school.

(Various tables attached. Ask if you require the details. r)
Thursday, January 12, 2006

GREATER CLARITY ON THE PACIFIC ISLAND FORUM

The plan now is for the Forum to call a meeting, and to invite others. The Mayor and Councillors are to be invited and the chief executive of Council, if invited, will have to decide if he attends.

The Pacific Island Forum would like the Mayor to write a letter to support their bid for funds to establish a Pacific Island Village, with money coming from the taxpayer. Whether the Mayor writes, or does not write, is a matter for the Mayor - and not for the Council as such. If they wanted a letter from the Council, it would have to go to a Committee for consideration.

Incidentally, the agreement between the Council and the Forum is to be reviewed shortly. The Forum was originally set up to provide advice to the Council on Pacific Island matters, and was the little brother of the agreement with the Ngati Toa. The Forum is a private organisation, it is not a Council organisation. Accordingly, what it does is its business. As a matter of principle it is good to have a Pacific Island group to give advice to the Council on a range of matters. They are paid by the Council for the advice they give (I do not know how much), and they are supposed to be representative of the Pacific Nations of Porirua City.
r
Wednesday, January 11, 2006

SINCERITY UNDOUBTED

This e mail from Ian Ross sums up views being expressed by Coastal Highway Group supporters both young and old.  It is being forwarded with his knowledge and agreement.     ----- Original Message ----- From: Ian To: Dick Jessup Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 2:04 PM Subject: Centennial Highway Vs Transmission Gully
Dear Dick,  
At the beginning of February I started to drive for Kapiti Carers. Since then I have driven over 90 trips along Centennial Highway.   The major reason why I have made that many trips is that the elderly drivers of the Kapiti Coast are extremely nervous of driving on that road with its recent history.   The majority of my passengers have been women ranging in age from 60 to 90 years. None of them believe that either road will be upgraded or built in their lifetimes.   My traveling times hardly varied until the traffic lights began operating at Paremata in the first week of November and the modifications at the Paremata roundabout became fully operative.   A fortnight ago I left Paraparaumu at 8a.m. and arrived at Thorndon Quay at 8.45. A couple of days later I left Wellinton Hospital at 3.01p.m. and was at Pukerua Bay at 3.31.   The slowest stretch of road is now Fisherman's Table to McKay's Crossing.   It is now obvious to me that it will be at least another 20 to 30 years before the road from Pukerua Bay to Wellington will become overloaded and slowed to an unacceptable extent. Who knows what work patterns will be then? What price petrol?   Driving along Centennial Drive during a full range of tides has confirmed, for me, the comments of Bob Norman(?) that there is solid rock adjoining the existing Highway which would provide a strong base for 2 more lanes. Straightforward engineering.   I found the diagram in the DominionPost of 21 October most instructive. It showed the rise from McKay's Crossing to the Wainui Saddle as 262 metres in maybe 2 kms. Three times higher than the summit of the Ngauranga Gorge.    No one can convince me that trucks would drive up that slope, as well as pay a toll, when they could continue to drive along Centennial Highway for free.   The money is there to meet the cost of upgrading the Highway and none of us elderly (I'm 76) have any desire to pay additional rates just because the Hutt Valley and Porirua prefer another route which they personally will seldom use!  
Arohanui,     Ian Ross.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006

ROBERT COMMENTS

This item brought a sharp response from readers. One said it all: "This gives the elderly a bad name, we are not all so selfish and self absorbed".

Kapiti's Mayor has it right: he is a strong advocate for Transmission Gully. The goal from Kapiti's point-of-view is better access to Wellington and particularly to the hospital which the Minister of Health and CCDHB decided to re-construct on the remote Newtown peninsula using taxpayers' money. However, Kapiti has no desire to destroy communities in Porirua City, and why should they want this when there is a perfectly good alternative way to proceed. A way, which gives them two roads to Wellington, which is a far better arrangement.

Residents in places like Kapiti struggle to get value for the tax they pay. They pay for a hospital, but it is nowhere near them, they pay for roads, but the big projects are in Auckland, and so it goes on.
r

PACIFIC ISLAND FORUM REMAINS CONTROVERSIAL

From: Lorreen Hartley [mailto:lorreen.hartley@piforum.org.nz ]
Sent : Monday, 9 January 2006 4:23 p.m.
To: Cr Gillon (tamnagh@paradise.net.nz); Cr Green (john.green@paradise.net.nz); Cr Ken Douglas (marilyn.ken@xtra.co.nz); Cr Liz Kelly (liz@kellyhygiene.co.nz); Cr Murrell 1 (Murrells@xtra.co.nz); Cr Murrell 2 (euonm@gilliesandmark.co.nz); Cr Rob Rangi (rob.rangi@xtra.co.nz); Cr Robert Shaw (robert.shaw@xtra.co.nz); Cr Sue Dow (suedow@paradise.net.nz); Naureen Palmer (naureenp@familystart-porirua.org.nz)
Subject: Taima & Litea's concerns with PI Forum
Importance: High

Hello everyone and a Happy New Year!

It is my understanding that at the end of last year Cr. Taima Fagaloa and Cr. Litea Ah Hoi approached Roger Blakely to organise a meeting to include MP Winnie Laban, Roger, Mayor Jenny and themselves to discuss concerns that they may have relating to the operations of the PI Forum.

As it is time that we begin to review the Forum’s Memorandum of Agreement with Council, we have asked Roger to include this on the agenda.

We would like to invite you to this Council-called meeting which is to be held on Thursday 19 th January, 3pm on the 6 th floor.

Please let me know if I have mistakenly missed out any Councillors off this email.   If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me.
Lorreen Hartley
Manager
Porirua Pacific Island Forum
Level 2, 16 Hagley Street
PORIRUA CITY
Phone: (04)  2389920   (027) 2942295

ROBERT COMMENTS

Well, as a general rule when councillors ask for a meeting like this, the chief executive cannot organise it, unless there is a motion of Council. Wisely, the law prescribes the role of the ceo. However, the Council may have in the Forum's Memorandum of Agreement already given the ceo the role of meeting convener, in which case there is a question about who should be invited. I have asked for the ceo for a copy of the Memorandum so we can see the constitutional arrangements to which we agreed. As a general rule the ceo, and the councillors, should work within the confines of Council meetings properly called in accordance with the Act. If you move to informal meetings you end up with confusion and hurt feelings. And, you have to do it all again in meetings, where it is possible to properly make decisions.
r
Monday, January 9, 2006

EXCELLENT JOURNALIST FOR MORE COMPLICATED MATTERS - JIM CHIPP

5 January 2006

Dear All,

I would like to wish everyone that I have dealt with in the last five years all the best for the coming year. I won't be returning Capital Community Newspapers in the New Year.

I have enjoyed my time reporting your community news and the opportunities it has brought to meet and engage with so many of you. Unfortunately, I have found the direction this business has taken of late is not for me and nor do I want to see my byline associated with its newspapers, so it's time to move on. If you need to speak to someone about past CCN stories contact the editor, Rachel Espiner on 587 1672, or email Rachel.L.Espiner@capitalnews.co.nz

For the time being I will continue my journalism work on a free-lance basis, so don't leave me off your media release address list. I'd still like to keep in touch with local events and issues. I will also take the opportunity to further the work I began three years ago under the Rosalyn Carter Mental Health Journalism Fellowship.

Wishing you and your families health and well-being for 2006.

Jim Chipp

Jim Chipp Phone: 04 938 9369

Mobile : 021 423312

email: jim@chipp-rush.net.nz

NEW YEAR MESSAGE TO PLIMMERTON RESIDENTS

Editor
News and Views

The New Year 2006
The past year has been a tough one for our communities and our Council. For all that there are some important gains, including significant planning for Plimmerton, the Promenade Project, heritage work, and the fight for Transmission Gully. The level of rates continues to be a major concern. It is recognized that the Council has to work differently. Somehow we must find a way to tap the resources of the community, use the skills of the councillors, and manage the whole lot to advance ourselves. For some time the Council needs to focus on its own processes - but we cannot stop the day-by-day work in order to reorganize ourselves. The workload for communities, officers, and elected persons has been increasing for about a decade. The amount of voluntary work that is needed to run a community seems excessive. The complexity of local government today also seems excessive. The rot seemed to settle some years ago, when in the budget process we had to describe the swimming pool as an "equitable  aquatic recreational opportunity". Now the Council has started to take steps to make things more brief, more logical, and more clear. Communication remains a major challenge. I personally want to see the Annual Plan reduced to about 12 pages. That does not mean more full information will not be available, but it will make the plan more useful The Annual Plan has two roles: it is the deal the councillors strike with the community each year (we will deliver this on your behalf), and it is the councillors instruction to the chief executive (do this lot). I hope to continue in 2006 my effort to facilitate communication, with the Porirua Wellington Web Blog which is at www.porirua.net
Robert Shaw
Northern Ward Councillor.
Telephone 233 0252