"We are at a critical stage with this project and it is vitally important, but we have to be efficient. "It seems like this project and possibly the consultants are now controlling us rather than us controlling the project. Smith and other councillors said the communications team, along with councillors, could not do the communications within existing resources. Baty said the project was so complex she would not be happy to front up to public meetings without backup. Cr Billy Meehan said the communications department was much larger than when he was last on the council, the term before last, and it should do the job without extra money.

Source: Stuff February 19, 2020 16:30 UTC