This allows anyone to come and talk to a council meeting about issues they wish to be brought to the attention of councillors. Indeed, if staff advice was inevitably followed, it would lead to a questioning of whether there is any point of the democratic part of the process at all. Two councillors sent in a notice of motion proposing an option which was different from the staff advice. At governance level, a letter was sent asking for more time to understand more fully what the various councils would be committing their ratepayers to if they signed up for this proposal. At operational level, the comment made by Mrs Gardner was a reflection of how she saw the proposal proceeding.

Source: Otago Daily Times August 29, 2021 16:30 UTC