Council Pushes Ahead With Great South Letter of Expectation

Great South shareholders asked the Invercargill City Council last week to prioritise its draft letter of expectation for the coming two years, so the organisation is clear on its priorities.

At last Tuesday’s council meeting, group manager – community engagement and corporate services Trudie Hurst said the shareholders would like to have the draft completed sooner than they usually would, so Great South knew what to deliver moving forward.

She said this was despite the impending election in October, and councillors agreed to move it ahead - many saying the $2 million investment was worth it.

Mayor Nobby Clark told the meeting it had been a drawn out exercise this year, but it wasn’t because of staff, but by a council wanting to make sure that what they were contracting out was  deliverable.

He pointed out that decades ago they introduced outcomes for housing, which had been on the priority list every year since, “and we actually didn’t build any houses.”

Cr Ian Pottinger said he was on the Venture South board 15 years ago with deputy Mayor Tom Campbell, and questioned what they actually got for their $2 million.

He thought the letter of expectation didn’t ask enough questions.  But Mayor Clark said they did get value for money, and that was backed by Cr Grant Dermody and Cr Lesley Soper.

He said Dunedin spent $8.3 million a year on economic development and $2 million was still quite a small investment in the south.

A workshop was held with Great South on July 29 and the views of the board on priorities were welcomed through the Draft Statement of Intent.  

Council received and confirmed recommendations from the Bluff Community Board for priorities for implementation of the Bluff Motupohūe Tourism Masterplan. 

They were provided to the Joint Shareholders Committee for inclusion in the Great South Letter of Expectation. 

Cr Dermody said the outcomes for Bluff were something to celebrate with measurable goals.

Introducing more housing into the city was also still a priority because it spread the burden for ratepayers, he said.

“I think the letter reflects well what we need to focus on.”