MEDIA RELEASE

Decision on further legal action disappointing

For immediate release: Wednesday 6 May2009

The decision by Whakatane District Council to continue to prevent the regional council re-locating headquarters to Tauranga is disappointing to say the least, says Environment Bay of Plenty Chairman John Cronin.

Whakatane District Council has announced it will appeal last month’s outcome of a High Court Judicial Review which found Environment Bay of Plenty followed correct procedure in making its decision to move its headquarters from Whakatane to Tauranga.

The decision by Whakatane District Council to pursue yet more legal action would have a significant effect on regional council staff who had already waited two years for the High Court ruling, Chairman Cronin said.

“We are hugely concerned not just at the likely very extensive costs to ratepayers of Whakatane District Council’s decision to pursue further legal action but the very real hurt and uncertainty our staff continue to face.

“Staff have already been asked to endure a long period of uncertainty which we hoped the High Court ruling would bring to an end.

“The effect of yet more legal action means we risk losing more valued people from our organisation and the effect on staff morale is likely to be significant,” he said.

Further legal action was also an unwelcome distraction for Environment Bay of Plenty’s work and decision-making on the important issues facing the Bay of Plenty region.

The timing of a decision from the Court of Appeal is uncertain, however the regional council is likely to ask for urgency which could mean a hearing before the end of this year.

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