Deputy Mayor’s Footpath Tax Grab Fails

At their August meeting, Auckland City Council’s Arts, Culture and Recreation Committee discussed the updated draft street trading policy which will go out for public consultation after the Committee’s September meeting. The draft policy provides better protection for the safety and rights of pedestrians passing outdoor dining facilities while continuing to encourage restaurants to provide outdoor dining by Council only charging for the costs of developing and enforcing the policy. Representatives from the Hotel Association of New Zealand made submissions on concerns about details of the draft policy but would have been angered at the proposed huge increase in Council compliance fees sprung on the meeting by Deputy May David Hay after they had left and had no opportunity to respond.

Councillor Richard Northey said, “I was stunned when Deputy May David Hay sprung the proposal to charge restaurants and cafés a commercial rental for those parts of the footpath used by their patrons for outdoor dining. Until now, the Council has regarded outdoor dining as a public good, bringing colour and pleasure to our town centres rather than a crass opportunity to sock restaurant proprietors for their contribution to the life of the city. If the Deputy Mayor’s proposal were to be carried out, the price of restaurant and café meals would rise dramatically or they would choose to give up on their outdoor dining - a loss not only to diners but also to passers-by and for the vitality of town centres. Fortunately Labour and City Vision Councillors succeeded in combating this outrageous money grabbing proposal, but only through casting vote of the Committee Chair after all but one Citizens and Ratepayers (C&R) Councillors dutifully voted for this daft idea dreamed up on the spot by their leader David Hay.”

Councillor Glenda Fryer said, “During the 2007 election campaign, C&R was vociferous in baselessly accusing City Vision of supporting a policy to force restaurants and cafés to pay through the nose for outdoor dining, which, of course, was never the case. David Hay is undermining his C&R teammate in Western Bays and breaking C&R election promises with this bizarre idea.”

Councillor Cathy Casey said, “This was a pathetic money-grabbing attempt from David Hay to make a profit from the leasing of our public footpaths. I am sorry that those C&R councillors who supported the idea - Councillors Toni Millar, Ken Baguley and John Lister - showed more allegiance to the Deputy Mayor than to common sense and the ratepayers of Auckland. David Hay pulled a similar maverick stunt when he voted against the funding for the Pasifika Festival this year.”

Councillor Graeme Easte said, “I am pleased to see that for each street trading permit, the area of footpath to be kept clear will be surveyed and discreetly demarcated. This small step will go a long way to avoiding creeping encroachment of the footpath by tables and chairs being allowed to migrate further and further into the path of passing pedestrians.”

Councillor Leila Boyle said, “The attempt by four C&R Councillors at the August Arts, Culture and Recreation Committee to change the cost recovery policy to a full commercial charging policy seems to be an about face and looks like they are reneging on clear promises and policy positions made during the 2007 election campaign.”

ENDS

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