The proposed bridge location is gone – long live the next one.
Waipā district councillors held yet another behind closed doors meeting last week to finally put to rest suggestions they would bulldoze through Cambridge’s history to build a bridge over the Waikato River.
Susan O’Regan
Of course, they didn’t actually make a decision, because you are not allowed to make decisions away from standard meeting forums, like informal meetings, unadvertised meetings and workshops.
This, we were told, was a decision made to take the potential location “off the table” as a result of a “discussion” involving the mayor and councillors.
But put it this way – at the start of the meeting/discussion, the blue blob on Cambridge was a route option for the next bridge and by the end of it, there were no options on offer.
The News has asked the Ombudsman whether Waipā has breached the Local Government Act by setting policies at off-camera meetings, this appears to be another potential offender.
Roger Gordon
So endeth this chapter on a public relations disaster for a council which has combatted its falling profile by paying Google and Meta-Facebook to promote its own propaganda – and in the process emerge as The News’ major media rival in Waipā.
Mayor Susan O’Regan and staff issued an abject apology last month for not telling the people who lived under the blue blob that their homes were in the firing line.
The language around the bridge now is focussed on Goodbye, Mr Blobby the time frame – as in decades – before it is built.
In the latest statement O’Regan said elected members had agreed it was not the right time to pin down a location.
“I appreciate that this has been a very stressful time for those people in the affected zone, and I hope this decision, and the fact that all potential river crossing options will be back on the table in the future, goes someway to alleviating their concerns.”
Philip Coles
So the blob is off the table, but all options are on the table – we’ll take that to mean it’s goodbye Mr Blobby.
Three councillors elected in the Cambridge ward – Roger Gordon, Philip Coles and Mike Pettit – sang from the same hymn sheet last Thursday – all making a point of praising a council media release then expressing hope the community would give clear feedback on the Cambridge Connections plan.
The fourth, deputy mayor Liz Stolwyk told The News she supported the new approach, noting a lot more work needs to be done to look at locations.
Coles did though add “people are unlikely to support changes particularly when they don’t have an opportunity to either provide constructive input, understand the changes and to learn and contribute towards the particular project in front of us all”.
Mike Pettit
He might have added “or hear councillors discuss the issue”.
Taking all options off the table doesn’t mean the blue blob can’t be considered again – but woe betide any future regime which looks twice at it.
The blob is gone, but not forgotten. (With acknowledgement to BBC Studios).
