RDC rates low in secrecy survey

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 685, 6 May 1997, Page 1

RDC rates low in secrecy survey

Discussions in secret for the Ruapehu District Council are relatively infrequent in comparison to other districts, accord ing to a survey by Waikato staff of the Alliance political party. Of 1 1 councils studied, Ruapehu was second best, going into committee for an average of 1 .7 items per month. Other councils' averages ranged from 0.8 to 10.9 items per month. Ruapehu' s subjects discussed in committee included property purchases (number of times =1); facilities, properties and vehicles (3); contracts and tenders (3); chief executive and other staffing matters (2); Ruapehu Holdings Limited, business and marketing (7); environment, reserves and health ( 1 ) ; general council (2) ; waste management/water ( 1 ). Ruapehu was "second worst" of the 1 1 councils for discussing Local Authority Trading Enterprise (LATE) matters in secret. The most common excuse for secrecy was given as "negotiations under way" followed by "commercial sensitivity", followed by "protect privacy". Ruapehu was the second-quickest to reply to the survey, says the Alliance, and they did not charge for the information. Other councils tried to charge up to $168 for the information, and even threatened debt

collectors when the charges were questioned. The survey was carried out by Alliance Waikato regional agent Dave Macpherson. "The real point i,s that councils are spending ratepayers' money, or putting those funds at risk, without ratepayers and residents having the opportunity to know what is being discussed or even the outcomes of the discussions, in many cases," said Mr Macpherson. "The principles of open government should mean that the bare minimum of items are discussed irl secret — really only those covering genuine personal information about staff or ratepayers," he said. "A number of councils appear to go into secret session almost as a matter of course, and invariably seem to accept recommendations from their senior bureaucrats to do so without question." Mr Macpherson said that he would be presenting his findings back to the councils, and also to Parliament' s Local Government Select Committee, "who need to consider whether the intent of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act is actually being followed" or whether it is being used by some councils as a smokescreen to hide ratepayers' business behind."