Mayor Aaron Hawkins questioned the regional council putting a hold on air-monitoring activities while it reviewed how to be more effective with its involvement. Cr Lee Vandervis said the regional council’s proposed rates rises were unaffordable and not justifiable. The Otago Regional Council (ORC) is proposing to increase general rates by 73.2%. Cr Vandervis also argued a unitary authority could be more effective than separate city council and regional council bureaucracies. The city council supports the ORC spending $4.6million from year 1 on pest control, rather than a cheaper option.

Source: Otago Daily Times May 10, 2021 16:30 UTC