The Invercargill City Council has decided to spend $30,000 to host a delegation from its Japanese sister city to celebrate its 30-year partnership.
Council governance and legal manager Michael Morris presented a report to elected members during the council’s performance, policy and partnerships committee meeting yesterday, where he asked for approval of the unbudgeted expenditure to support activities in the civic hosting of the delegation from Kumagaya in January.
It was proposed a delegation of 13 people — including Kumagaya Mayor Tetsuya Kobayashi — visit the city for four days and, in return, Invercargill would send a delegation to the Japanese city in July to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the sister city agreement.
The relationship with Kumagaya generated an active exchange programme between secondary schools in the two cities and provided the community with trading and businesses opportunities, Mr Morris said.
Invercargill Mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt, who has been involved in the relationship since the official signing of the sister city agreement in the 1990s, backed the partnership.
"Of course, it caused a bit of controversy as it involved a lot of travel but it was well worth it," he said.
"About 2000 students from Kumagaya came here and about 1000 students from here went there ... I think we should support this as best we can."
He had support of the majority of councillors.
Crs Lindsay Abbott and Nobby Clark, however, believed it was not a good investment for the council.
While Cr Abbott said he had never agreed with those overseas trips, Cr Clark believed with technology the trips were unnecessary.
Both voted against the motion, but the majority of elected member supported the unbudgeted expenditure.
They noted that the request for council representatives to travel to Kumagaya in July next year would be referred to the incoming council for its consideration.
