Syed Kamal: Update on Affordable Housing

Fresh revelations have emerged over the $9 million Auckland City Council contract with New Zealand Housing Foundation.

Figures obtained by Darpan-The Mirror reveal the council so far spent $17,700 in legal costs of which $8,000 was to investigate whether the claims made to the council that the agreement was not legal were true. The possibility of incurring additional expenditure in legal fees remains high.

Councillor Paul Goldsmith, Chairman Community Services Committee believes that the new scaled back agreement would be around $3 million “which we will negotiate with the foundation”.

But Brian Donnelly Executive Director NZ Housing said this morning “we do believe we have the contract.”

“We had a valid and enforceable contract but have agreed to renegotiate the contract with Auckland City Council.”

The Housing Foundation has said it is disappointed & frustrated and feels that it is more of a political decision.

Syed Akbar Kamal is producer/director of current affairs programme Darpan-The Mirror on Stratos.

ENDS

© Scoop Media