The Local Authority elections have just finished for the next 3 years. We have all ticked the boxes in the hope that the people we voted for will do a better job than the last ones. However deep down we know nothing much will change because non of them are accountable to anyone during their term of office. The Mayor and the councillors have a 3 year contract on full pay but no one can give them the sack during their term of office. The Mayor employs the CEO who in turn employs the Council staff and because the Mayor has no job description he or she and all the councillors are answerable to know one for 3 years except themselves.
Because there is no accountabity during the 3 year term I believe there is a need for the ratepayers of New Zealand to become united and employ someone from outside of the council to representative them to make sure the people they voted for are accountable to the ratepayers.
Ratepayers Union Membership Drive
On Monday 15th November 2010 I started on a new journey for the ratepayers of Timaru collecting donations from door to door for the formation of an official ratepayers union. During the membership drive I will be acting as the ratepayers Union Representative and in addition to finding members I will be having disussions with the Timaru District Council on issues where I believe the council is exceeding their authority.
I have already commenced a successful public appeal to Save the Century Pool in Timaru after the local Council have decided to close it once they have built a luxury Aquatic Centre. The majority of ratepayers do not need or want the luxury new complex and at $23.5 million the Timaru District Council cannot afford it. Some of the decisions that are being made by the Mayor, the Councillors and the Council staff are being made without any rational thought which are not only irresponsible but some are morally wrong.
Message to all N.Z. Ratepayers
If you are a ratepayer in New Zealand and are are sick and tired of your local council wasting your money on things that the majority of ratepayers don’t need or want then give me a call and lets show all the local governments of New Zealand including the Minister of Local Government Mr Rodney Hide just who is paying their wages.
Thanks for your encouragment Issy. Their is no minimum amount you can donate all the money is being used promote the pool which was built as a memorial to Timaru at the turn of the century.
The idea of a Union for ratepayers to my knowledge has never been done before. At the moment I am the only one working on the idea and I’m hoping that others will share in the vision
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