The Star: May 12, 2022

The Star Thursday May 12 2022
24
LETTERS/OPINION
Mayoral campaign
SARA TEMPLETON is
reconsidering running for mayor
because she feels there needs
to be a ‘’future focused’’ mayor
in Christchurch. This new
buzzword is mentioned several
times and leaves me wondering
what it means exactly.
I thought all those running
for office are concerned with the
future. Does it mean you are so
focused on the future you forget
the here and now, like smells in
Bromley because it’ll be fixed in
the future?
Does a ‘’future focused’’
person welcome more central
government control over our
assets and what chemicals are put
in our water? Welcome housing
intensification without parking?
Welcome Local Government
New Zealand calling the shots?
Or will the ‘’future focused’’
person fight the central
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government takeover of local
government and return it to the
local people they are meant to
serve?
We can only ask the
questions and vote according
to any answers received. – D
Downward, Bryndwr
Three Waters
Christchurch city councillor
Sam MacDonald uncovered
the preposterous $34 million
of ratepayers money the
Government has spent on selling
the Three Waters reform lemon.
MacDonald lodged an Official
Information Act Request with
the minister responsible for
this, to gain information on
what the Government has been
doing, for his public meeting
on the April 26 regarding the
Three Waters. He did not receive
this information until after the
meeting.
What he subsequently
discovered was – $18 million
has been spent on lawyers and
consultants, $360,000 on travel,
$2.7 million on accommodation
and support, $3 million on
advertising; plus. This is
totally unrealistic when we
in Christchurch have pipes in
need of repair, and the Bromley
sewerage plant needs a roof.
Why are we paying such
an eye-watering amount on
something none of us want. –
Jane Lila McKenzie, St Albans
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Company appointed to remove debris
from wastewater treatment plant
SOUTHERN Demolition has
been taken on to remove the
material that is causing the
real stench at the wastewater
treatment plant and is moving
on site to start work.
The early estimates saw this
stretching out for until the end
of the year. Now we expect the
work to be completed by early
spring.
Apart from all the behind-thescenes
stuff, what residents will
see happening straight away is
the site preparation, bringing on
the heavy machinery required
and building the massive ramp
up to the top of the first of the
two structures. They should
be ready to start removing the
material at the end of Queen’s
Birthday weekend.
The teams will be working at
least six days a week, 12 hours
a day. They will work fast, but
they must work safely. It will be
a busy operating treatment plant
with a number of hazards.
From a governance point of
view, we have an Insurance
Subcommittee that will be
closely monitoring progress,
and updates will be reported
fortnightly to city council, with
weekly updates being sent out to
residents.
In addition, we are setting
aside some resources to support
people through the coming
weeks.
Finally, I want to offer an
apology on behalf of the city
council. This was a catastrophic
fire of enormous proportions. It
has been a massive job with a lot
going on behind the scenes.
Mayor
Lianne Dalziel
But we didn’t get enough
information out to let people
know what was happening.
That’s not good enough and we
need to do better.
You can follow progress at ccc.
govt.nz/wastewaterfireor sign up
for email updates.
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