Rodney Hide: Christchurch City Council Has Lost Its Mind

The elected councillors and staff at Christchurch City Council have officially taken leave of their senses.

I was alerted to this particular madness by the wonderful Katrina Biggs on X, who posted the flyer for the council’s “Women’s Swimming Sessions.” I didn’t believe it at first. Surely this was satire. So I went to the official Christchurch City Council website to check. It gets worse.

Here is what they actually say:

Chris Lynch: Christchurch City Council accused of sabotaging free hospital parking trial

Christchurch City Council staff have been accused of misleading elected members and the public by claiming a night-time parking trial outside Christchurch Hospital is not being used, despite failing to install signs indicating the free parking is available.

The six month trial, which began in April, was introduced at the request of Harewood Councillor Aaron Keown and Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger to help hospital visitors and staff struggling to find free parking in the area.

David Farrar: Christchurch leaves LGNZ

Radio NZ reports:

Christchurch City Council has announced it is resigning from Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ).

Councillors at a meeting today decided to no longer be part of LGNZ, after its annual membership costs rose by more than $20,000.

Chris Lynch: Christchurch council votes to leave Local Government NZ

The Christchurch City Council has voted to leave Local Government NZ.

Councillor Sara Templeton voted against the move, expressing concern that Christchurch was “slowly but surely” losing any relevance and influence on the national stage.

“We need a strong voice, and as those of us who’ve been members of unions in the past will know, there’s strength in numbers,” she said.

John MacDonald: What's in the water at Christchurch City Council?

The leadership structure at the Christchurch City Council is falling apart.

And it had mayor Phil Mauger in a real tizz at the start of yesterday’s council meeting.

This was when he announced that they had to kick people out and go into closed meeting straight away because there was something urgent they needed to discuss about chief executive Dawn Baxendale.

John MacDonald: A lesson in squandering public money

If you’re not cringing over the latest decision by the Christchurch City Council, you should be.

Because yesterday, councillors sat around the table to decide whether they should spend $1.4 million on a 10-week trial of changes to a little piece of Gloucester Street.

These are changes to the stretch of Gloucester Street where the Isaac Theatre Royal is, to make the street “a more inviting space for hospitality, performers and theatre-goers”.

Mike Yardley: Fluoridation shows Government lacks respect for local councils' independence

Forcing local councils into toothless submission via far-reaching national policy directives and rushed legislative change is becoming a familiar refrain.

The “takeover” of council water assets under the Three Waters reform model has been the most explosive lightening rod to date.

But the government’s increasing propensity to throw its weight around and relegate local authorities to bit-player status, while it cultivates its centralisation agenda, is unmistakeable.

The Christchurch City Council is currently grappling with a fistful of big state decrees, including the imminent prospect of being ordered to fluoridate the city’s water supply.