28 November 2013

New Council to discuss Hundertwasser

Whangarei’s new Council will attend a workshop on 18 December to be fully briefed on the Hundertwasser Art Centre proposal for the Town Basin.

No decisions or resolutions can be made at workshops. They are non-public information sessions where Councillors can speak as often as they like, without having to follow the strict rules that apply to formal meetings of Council.

“We have a new Mayor and four new Councillors so we need a workshop to make sure everyone has all the most up to date information and knows all the background to the proposal and plans for its future. We need to be updated on the processes that have been followed, commitments made to this point, what progress has been made and the process proposed going forward,” said Whangarei District Mayor Sheryl Mai.

“People sometimes look at non-public meetings with a degree of suspicion, but I give my word that this meeting is for the purpose described. I am committed to ensuring that there is public discussion and involvement in future decisions around the project.

“On 18 December we will meet as a Council to ask questions, receive information and find out all we can to bring us up to a level playing field. At that point I think we will arrange for more information to be brought forward to another workshop, early in the new year.

“A number of grants have been applied for and the results of these applications will not be known until February or March. The outcome of those applications will help to inform our decision regarding the project.

“Timing, information, Council processes and community feeling are all converging around this project. We need to be well informed and aware of multiple factors to ensure the best decisions are made in future.”

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