Great report by Matt, although I need to correct a few matters of fact he could not know about.
First, Susan’s petition and Peter and my Notice of Motion to Council were launched simultaneously and independently, and it was only when we became aware of the petition did we promote it and asked the Mayor to exercise her discretion (as she has done before) and invite Susan to the Council meeting to discuss the idea of Free Parking.
Two reasons for refusing our request and having both the petition and our Notice of Motion referred to the O&M Committee was to suppress any further discussion by councilors and to give officials time to prepare a counter case she and the Deputy Mayor could support, control and take credit for. Petty?
Second, the reason for our Notice of Motion being open ended was to encourage councillors to think for themselves, ask questions in the CBD, read the stunning feedback from Susan’s petition and at our RDRR Facebook (very similar), and to offer preliminary thoughts that could have shaped draft policy, before officials and the ruling elite decided how we were to think. Trivial?
Third, my position of Free Parking with Time Limits was supported by three non-RDRR councillors at least but they voted against the Motion, or in Cr Raukawa-Tait’s case, abstained. Until the Mayor’s Noddies stop being so timorous, start doing their homework, listening to the pain in the CBD, and thinking for themselves and speaking up they will, I guess, remain loyal to their fake leadership remuneration. Sycophantic?
Fourth, the outcomes were that (a) the Mayor and officials retain control of the agenda, (b) CBD owners, retailers and workers are getting no support from Council, apart from the usual weasel words, and (c) policy making on parking has been flicked to the RED’s City Development Working Group comprising businessmen and Te Arawa, and (d) when they hand down recommendations
Looks like we are all set to repeat the disaster of the Inner City Revitalisation Portfolio.
What do you think?
Reynold Macpherson
Councillor