Public Gagged at KCDC Meetings

by Cr Jackie Elliott

Kapiti Cr Jackie Elliott says she is appalled that yesterdays Council meeting was set the last time the public can speak directly to council on important issues as has been tradition in Kapiti.

"The decision by the Mayor and three unnamed Councillors who chair KCDC standing committees was not discussed with any other councillors, nor were the other 6 Councillors advised of this decision, other than by reading the advertisement in the public notices in the local paper, " says Cr Jackie Elliott.

"The Mayor refused today to publicly name the three Councillors who chose to ban the public from bringing their concerns to the Council meetings, unless that item is on the agenda. Making matters worse was the public notice about this which was an opinion piece, containing inaccurate information. " Cr Elliott says the public needs now to question the very vocal election calls made by the Mayor, Crs Welsh and Bell to herald a new, transparent council for Kapiti. " The Mayor even announced he was having his desk in the front foyer which has never happened. "

Offering informal public forums is no alternative, as without any official agenda or minutes or any public records of those forums, the discussions are invisible and easily ignored and Council cannot be held accountable, says Cr Elliott.

" In a further blow to the promised open and transparent Council, council proposes to charge by the hour for information supplied by OIA request with charges from $72.00 per hour. This appears to be a deliberate deter ant, which is a shame as even elected members have head to resort to OIA requests to get accurate information from staff in order to represent the public. "

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