Boot Motions » Council meeting 22 June 2011 - WorkBoot dig#16
That item 4.5 Rates Resolution 2011/12 be referred to a special meeting on the last possible day to allow setting of the rates; and
That Council seeks urgent legal advice to the Council that specifically addresses each of the points raised in Mr. Boonham's memorandum of 21 June 2011; and
That if Council has misled any rate payers as to the extent of the rates increase that Council extend a formal apology.
I moved this as an amendment to the original motion to adopt the rates (see "The number 2s tax").
There was no interest from any other Councillor in the this amendment. I plan to email to each Councillor to ask why they felt unable to even debate this by supporting the right for a discussion by seconding the motion.
A Councillor could have seconded my motion to get more briefing and time and then the discussion would have formed part of the official proceedings. By denying me a seconder, the motion to amend died then and there. It was a weird moment - sort of lonely. Now it may be that Councillors felt that the meeting was going on too long or they didn't want to have to commit time for another meeting or they had been given their orders before the meeting - I don't know. I am still very much a student of this weird game but I intend to get the feedback so I can do the best job of being a Councillor I can, even if that means that I take a bit of flack from other Councillors.
By the way I have already experienced a bit of that - the name-calling. A bit nasty and unpleasant but I am pleased to report that the particular Councillor apologised and I have accepted that apology so that is the end of that. Hopefully asking that we actually are properly briefed to understand the decisions we are making is not going to result in a new wave of nastiness. I will keep you informed and as I learn will share my lessons with the ratepayers so we can feel confident that transparency is valued.