Time to have say on city

Elizabeth Dickie will make a submission at today's Dunedin City Council draft annual plan hearing...
Elizabeth Dickie will make a submission at today's Dunedin City Council draft annual plan hearing - but she questions whether she will be heard. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
Elizabeth Dickie will not mince words when she fronts up to the Dunedin City Council today to tell councillors her views on public consultation.

"Firstly, I would like to say that I believe that making a submission is a total and utter waste of time," her submission reads.

Mrs Dickie is not alone in her opinion; thoughts similar to hers are heard at the Municipal Chambers every year about this time.

And councillors have told such people while they will be listened to, their views may be rejected.

From today, almost 200 people will speak on the direction of the city at the council's annual plan hearings - 336 more have written submissions - and apart from those keen to get funding, many will be critical.

This year, councillors will hear about everything from streetlights to Christmas decorations, public transport to cycle-ways and back again.

That is when they are not listening to what are now entrenched views on the town hall extension and the stadium.

The meetings, set to last three days, are the public's chance to have its views on city issues heard, even though some lack faith in the process.

Mrs Dickie, a former strategic planning manager for a multinational oil company, said she would turn up today, despite her views.

"I want them to know I think it's a waste of time.

"I'd like to have it put on record they're leading us down a very, very dangerous track," she said, referring to the stadium and its costs.

She claimed the public had been "duped by the misinformation" from the council and the Carisbrook Stadium Trust.

Her submission is one of many that also oppose the town hall extension.

When contacted, Mayor Peter Chin responded to the claim councillors did not listen, and said every councillor attending the committee would read every submission.

"All submitters will be listened to."

But if something was in the council's budget, it was because councillors thought it was a good idea.

"If we're going to change that, we need to have a cogent reason.

"There's no doubt many people will be aggrieved because the council has not agreed with them."

Economic development committee chairman Cr John Bezett agreed there was a perception that if someone made a submission and their suggestion was not followed, they were not being listened to.

"That isn't true."

Someone who was opposed to the stadium, for instance, could believe they were not being listened to, he said, but that was not the case.

"I just don't agree with them."

He said submissions ranged from aggressive, patronising and condescending to clever and funny.

"I don't like the annual plan process.

"It disadvantages those who don't put in submissions."

Cr Bezett said he preferred to listen to the silent majority, "those people that elect me each time".

Finance and strategy committee chairman Richard Walls said consultation was not agreement.

"People think because they submit the council should do what they want to do."

The council would accept or reject submissions, and make an informed decision.

The cost of the exercise, which is required under the Local Government Act, was not immediately available, but finance and corporate support general manager Athol Stephens said staff time was one cost.

Some staff began working in August for the following year's annual plan hearings.

There were printing costs, newspaper advertising, and $20,000 to $30,000 spent on an expo every three years.

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