One way in Hawkes Bay though, that offers potential for real savings is…well…um, let’s make 2012, or at least the first half of it, an amalgamation free zone.
Cheers
Ewan Mac

We have enjoyed your informed and entertaining ramblings and look forward to further commentaries. Your assistance and dedicated service as a hard working City Councillor throughout the year has been appreciated.

We wish you and Shirley a joyful Christmas and may 2012 be a year of good health and happiness.

Thanks again
Larry and Sue

Perhaps Labour voters cared more about voting than National voters??

Just another point of view.

But there is another weakness of MMP and it is the presumption of a list MP being a constituency MP without any mandate whatsoever. This is the first of the five MMP terms when this has not been the case in HB. We have had Tolley, Fairbrother and Nash as de facto Napier MPs, Barker for Hastings and Kirton as the “independent MP for Hawkes Bay”. If this is democracy then I don’t understand the term

List MPs only mandate – and accountability – is to their party, which put them into Parliament. I believe that list MPs should be based in Wellington where they can then perform their function of furthering the cause of their party via caucus and parliament. (That’s after all where cabinet ministers reside.) Instead they choose a nice place to live and/or where they have a prospect of ousting the sitting MP in the next election. There’s a saving here too because the long suffering taxpayer wouldn’t have to fund an ‘electorate’ office.

If I have the chance I will be vigorously representing that view if there is any enquiry.

Cheers
Ewan Mac

Your information is half correct and not surprisingly your “error” paints Napier in a bad light.

You have chosen to use our typically conservative budget figures which cover interest rate movements and the timing of draw downs for major projects. The figures you should have used are the actuals and they are available on the web.

Your figure of 9% for Hastings is about right.

Let me share with you the correct figures contained in Napier’s annual reports which are audited by Audit New Zealand.

Proportion of Rates Revenue applied to Service Debt (Internal and External Debt)
2009/2010 5.54%
2010/2011 4.8%

Perhaps if you have published incorrect numbers on your blog you might like to publish a correction

Cheers,
Bill

As you might be aware, I’ve published a BayBuzz article that includes this statement:

“Paying interest on debt costs Napier ratepayers more proportionately than Hastings ratepayers. In Napier, about 13-15% of rates goes to servicing debt, whereas this figure is about 9% for Hastings. Perhaps a surprise to Napier ratepayers.”

You seem to be unaware of these figures. They were pointed out to me by NCC’s accounting manager. They’re taken from Napier’s Long Term Plan. I’m sure she can help you find them.

Cheers,
Tom Belford

Your ability to bargain hunt in the supermarket is amazing, your talent in the kitchen is impressive and your stew recipe sounds really delicious. If your guests brought a nice Ozzie shiraz or HB pinot to complete the menu, it would be even cheaper. Would you consider swapping your steak casserole recipe for my treasured mince recipe?

May your strategic planning and review of the Long Term Plan go well. My project of interest is not suited to long term planning so a review at this time would not be expected.

Couple of things, while cooking, are you known to tilt your red wine glass over the stew? And most Chefs have a tea towel flung over the shoulder – which shoulder do you use?

Bon appetit and keep up with the good work
Larry