Changing our direction

I recently read with interest the mayor’s attack (7 June 2010) on Marie Russell’s opinion (27 May 2010) on the state of Wellington’s libraries. Marie raised some very valid points. All rubbished by the mayor, who clearly had not read the subsequent article on Scoop or heard Bob McKee’s discussion on the importance of libraries on Radio New Zealand (which I commented on some time ago, see my posts below about “investing in our communities, not centralising them” and “its our library“).

One could be helped from thinking that this attack was a poor attempt to deflect attention from the carnival fiasco which has erupted. Already support for the carnival has got above 1300 supporters on facebook and growing. A much stronger response than the survey on Stuff. Why is it that Grant Robertson (Labour MP for Wellington Central) can talk with the Wellington Chamber of Commerce to investigate if alternative funding can be found for the carnival, and our council has not? However, I digress.

Lets dig a little deeper into what the mayor actually said.

The mayor suggests Marie was cocooning libraries from budget cuts. After all, “we have been hit by a recession” and “cost-cutting in the libraries during the past couple of years has been mirrored right across all council services”. Not true. Cost cutting has not been mirrored across all budgets. As Marie (and Scoop) points out, the library budget was hit the hardest. And has continually been the focus of cuts in earlier periods. We no longer have a mobile library service, staff are restricted in traveling to smaller branches to cover for sickness, and more recently books for babies was terminated (Marie’s list goes on, it’s a good read).

The Long Term Council Community Plan for 2009-10 forecast the  library operational budget at $23, 356,000.  However, the Draft Annual Plan for 2010-11 period now forecasts the operational expenditure for libraries will be $21,551,000. That is a projected funding cut of $1,805,000.  A  7.73% funding reduction in a single year. By contrast, the Tourism Promotion budget is up 10.8% and the Events Attraction and Support budget is up 6.8%. Interestingly, for all the talk about tightening belts, the budget for City governance and Engagement is up 7.11%. On the other hand, the funding for city galleries and museums is down by 1.64%. How can the mayor rubbish the figures used by Marie, they’re written in black and white in the plan?

Does this sound like cost cutting being mirrored across all budgets? No.

The fact is, libraries are not like other council assets. Although this is lost on the mayor, which is very worrying, for someone holding such a high office. Studies have proven that during times of recession the use of libraries increase. In fact, studies have also proven that investment in libraries returns more money back to the community, than invested. Libraries, if invested in properly, have the potential to grow our communities, increasing foot traffic for surrounding businesses, and providing a real growth hub. We should be investing in our community resources (not cutting them). Especially during a period of recession.

Planning for our libraries to close and choosing not to invest in them is a sure-fire way to bring about their death. Which is why the mayor’s statement that “if traditional library usage declines in any significant way, we would have to consider closing seldom-used branches” is an ominous sign of what is to come and I would suggest reflects very poor stewardship of Wellington’s greatest asset and resource.

To reconfirm the council’s decision to cut funding the mayor goes onto say that “we have been hit by a recession and have had to find savings everywhere”. If that is true, why is there still enough money for a $350k rugby monument and a proposed $5 million Chinese garden. Not to mention funds for a trip to china, and various other pet projects. Seems to me there is ample room to move and it is the misguided priorities of council that is resulting in our most valuable asset getting prioritised below a rugby monument.

The mayor goes on to state that “we have also listened to ratepayers who have no appetite for large rates increases”. But didn’t rates just go up by 5.75%? Isn’t this higher than the announcement a month ago that it would be 5.5%? And what was the councils earlier forecast? Apparently an average 3.27%. Add this year’s 5.75% cent to last year’s 4.1%, the previous year’s 6.4%, and 5.9% the year before. That’s an increase in rates of more than 20% cent in 4 years. Talk about budget blow out. Is this good stewardship of our finances? And didn’t the mayor just sign us up to even more increases once the leaky homes debt kicks in? If the council is listening, why does it spend so much on litigation defending its decisions?

And to complete the mayor’s rose-tinted glasses on the priorities council have to make, we learn that “we invest in such events to bring people into the city to spend money – money that our local economy needs to survive.”  Apparently, she’s not aware how much foot traffic libraries can generate for local communities. But if the focus is on generating money, why is there no action on the carnival?

“Libraries are facing change just as fast as everything else in the city”. The problem is that the changes that should be made (eg, investing in our resources to generate growth and well-being in our community) are not being made. Bad decisions are being made, and I do not see that as very go stewardship of our resources at all.

However, I do agree change is coming. But not in the manner that the mayor quite expects. There is a growing rumble of discontent with the lack of vision our council has and the degree of financial mis-management that has occurred. Its time for new voices, with fresh ideas and new perspective. Not to revive an old Obama pledge, but “its time for change.” Because I’m not sure we can afford much more of this.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/opinion/3783473/Libraries-are-facing-change-just-as-fast-as-everything-else-in-the-city, http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/opinion/3744116/Future-of-free-libraries-hangs-in-the-balance, http://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=25463, http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/national/politics/3782754/Homeowners-rates-rise-but-business-rates-fall, http://werewolf.co.nz/2010/05/closing-the-books-on-libraries/

The carnival spin begins

It looks like the mayor is definitely into damage control with the council’s decision to cancel funding for the cuba st carnival. In a clever spin, the mayor has suggested rugby didn’t steal our carnival cash. Of course not, it was the council’s mis-directed priorities and incompetence that has done that.

The mayor confirmed that Mr Morley-Hall (the event organiser) had asked for $500,000 funding (an increase of $200k from last years $300k) for the 2011 cuba st carnival. Yet in a contradictory statement from the mayor, it’s also reported that the council “had not received any formal funding request for next year’s Cuba St carnival”.

So what was Mr Morely-Hall’s request for $500k?

Ignored, comes to mind. If only for a “formal” funding request, is not good enough.

Clearly the mayor is referring to the absence of a “formal” funding request from the new trust set up by the council (at a cost of $75k) and chaired by Mr Simcock, to develop events for emerging artists. The mayor certainly confirmed this trust had not submitted a formal funding request. In fact this trust had advised the council it was “not feasible for the new trust to run an event of the Cuba carnival’s scale in its first year of operation”.

So why is Mr Morley-Hall (the event organiser) asking for $500,000 funding. Well apparently he has been dealing with the council and the new trust to expand the event with a wider range of events. But neither the council nor the trust want to do a carnival. Hence his frustration. The council is not forthcoming with funding (preferring instead to hide behind the absence of a “formal” request from the trust). Even though the mayor is aware of Mr Morley-Hall’s funding request. And the newly formed council funded trust sounds dysfunctional if it can’t organise an event that Mr Morley-Hall did himself.

And the reasons given by the trust and council for not doing their job: “We think it is in the best interest of Wellington City, the performers and the 150,000 carnival attendees for us to plan for a successful carnival in the longer term rather than compromise its authenticity because we have committed to an unrealistic time-frame in a very difficult financial environment.”

Talk about spin. What a cop-out. They might as well said the dog ate it.

If it’s a “very difficult financial environment” why is council proposing to spend $350k on a rugby monument, $5 million on a Chinese garden, and allocate funds for the mayor’s trips to china, and other various pet projects (including a tarp structure for the waterfront market).

If its tight time-frames, then the council has done a very poor job in putting in place this new trust and the necessary governance and resources to meet a 2011 deadline. The fact no funding requests were made by the trust is damning indeed. Especially as both the trust and the council were aware of Mr Morley-Halls funding request. They have had as much time as the former organiser to put this event together.

The best interests of Wellington City would be served if the council (and trust) got its act together and organised a carnival on at least the same scale as previous years, or let Mr Morley-Hall do it. He certainly thinks it can be done. This is an event that should not be deferred to 2013 and risk losing the intellect and momentum built up from earlier carnival events.

If the council requires a funding request to get things moving. Well guess what, Mr Morely-Hall has submitted one. The fact is, it’s the council and the trust who have prevented a “formal” request being tendered and received. Stop hiding behind formality and procedure and make things happen.

Because if the council do not. The residents of this city will vote for people who will.

It’s about good stewardship and management of our resources. And making things happen.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/local/3778462/Rugby-didn-t-steal-carnival-cash-mayor, http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/local/3599015/Te-Papa-tent-to-cost-2-4m-for-five-years

The carnival is over

Apparently the council do not have an extra $300k to help fund what has been building up year after year as an iconic arts event for Wellington and New Zealand. Nor do they seem interested in facilitating a solution (ie, another provider who can do it cheaper). Although council do have $350k for a rugby monument and $5 million for a chinese garden.

Last year’s cuba street carnival drew a record 150,000 people and was called an “internationally-recognised Mardi Gras.” Last year the council provided $200k to this event. This year the event needs an extra $200-300k (around $500k) to step it up another notch. Apparently our council are even unwilling to commit to a low-level of recurrent funding.

Truly visionary thinking from our council. At a time when Wellington is looking to build itself as a destination, we have this type of myopic thinking. At a time when other regular events in Wellington are under threat of being poached.

We should be broadening our events basket, not throwing all our eggs into one basket. We should be building up events that are already proven winners with “ongoing” marketing potential for Wellington as a destination.

Why can’t the funds allocated to build a $350k statute (or $5 million garden) be redeployed to continue to build on an event that is fast becoming a major local and tourist event in Wellington. Hasn’t council already planned to allocate more funds to marketing of Wellington as a destination (while at the same time cutting other budgets).

Surely if you are going to give more funds to marketing Wellington as a destination, you should be supporting events that provide a great reason to visit?

Think about this. When Virgin want to penetrate markets they build momentum. Introducing various other virgin products into the market, in order to build brand awareness. Its the same thing here. We have an opportunity to add another proven product to the Wellington brand.

We have the opportunity to build another “ongoing” reason to visit Wellington. I come from Nelson, and this is how WoW was built. Wellington needs to invest in one of its own great events.

Rather, than quickly rubbish bin this event, council should be looking to support it. If funds are not there (and that’s debatable), then why not facilitate sponsorship with local businesses. For example, Air NZ. Our council is more than just a bank. It can engage and facilitate business involvement. Perhaps its time to bring in Tourism NZ or other government agencies to help?

Getting people to come to Wellington for this event would raise more revenue for Council via its ownership of airport interests. It would raise revenue for local businesses. Has council even estimated the revenue this event generates for our local economy before shelving its support?

The World cup rugby is a done deal. People are coming. We need to think beyond the world cup.

Our council need to think outside the square.

If there is a will, there is always a way. It’s about growing our communities. Its about long term vision.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/local/3774756/Lack-of-funding-pulls-plug-on-NZs-largest-street-party

Chinese garden

WCC are proposing spending $5 million on a chinese garden. One of the reasons the Mayor is justifying a trip to China (see post below). Is anyone thinking on this council?!!

Where are we going to find $5 million to build a garden and how much will it cost to maintain? We’re already well over $365 million in debt (some are now suggesting its more like $400 million). Didn’t council just recently announce they are having to prune back other services in light of the leaky homes debt they have just taken on?

Don’t get me wrong, a Chinese garden is a nice idea and acknowledges a large part of our community (even Sydney has one). But surely a better idea (given the current financial climate) is to integrate it into the basin reserve motorway development project (perhaps as a park in front of the Carillion), rather than a separate very expensive project, that clogs up our waterfront with more buildings.

After all, the motorway project will have already planned for parks and green spaces.Merging it into the basin reserve motorway project would kill two birds with one stone and save the public millions (perhaps $5 milion).

There have been some fantastic alternative design proposals for the basin reserve motorway project (see the Architecture Centre’s proposal on www.savethebasin.org) that have created green spaces (eg, covered trenches) and safe walkways for the public and local school children.

A chinese garden would fit perfectly. And if it can’t be merged successfully, then perhaps we have to have the strength of character to say no.

Its about good planning and design for our city.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/local/3756104/Mayor-and-business-group-head-to-China, http://savethebasin.org.nz/sites/savethebasin.org.nz/files/arch_centre_basin_sm.jpg, http://www.cabe.org.uk/public-space,