Speaking Rights Granted - Legal Advice Refused - Information On Unpaid Rates "Under Consideration"

Within the last couple of hours I have been advised that ARC chairperson Gwen Bull has granted me speaking rights at the Extraordinary ARC Council meeting at 2.00pm Wednesday.

My request for copies of the legal advice received by the ARC has been denied on the grounds of "protecting legal professional privilege".

Apparently council members will have received the legal advice and will 'consider' it in public.

I am also awaiting full details of payments received by the ARC at the due date of 6th August - my application for this information is "being considered".

This whole performance is beyond belief - I have been asking for information that I, as a ratepayer, have helped pay for. There can be no grounds for refusing such information.

This is not the open government which the ARC's mission statement calls for.

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