Criticism over way staff handled tower proposal

Press, 27 April 1987, Page 9

Criticism over way staff handled tower proposal

The way Christchurch City Council staff have handled the Victoria Square tower proposal was criticised last evening by Cr Alex Clark. He said comments circulated by the council’s deputy general manager, Mr Harold Surtees, to other councillors regarding Cr Clark’s views on the tower were “rude and objectionable” and he has demanded an apology. The comments were circulated to all councillors in a memorandum from Mr Surtees. He wrote that he was concerned about Cr Clark’s "reported views of the tower project team’s reporting.”

“I realise you (Cr Clark) may have not been reported accurately and I hope we will have an early opportunity to discuss this in detail,” wrote Mr Surtees.

Cr Clark reacted by writing to Mr Surtees’ superior, the general manager and Town Clerk, Mr John Gray, complaining of Mr Surtees’ comments.

“I find the opening paragraph rude and objectionable and request a suitable apology be made by the officer concerned. I realise my opposition to the tower proposal has upset many people and I can expect the full weight of the council bureaucracy to be turned in my direction. But I am not a small boy to be disciplined at the whim of a senior council officer,” Cr Clark wrote. Cr Clark believed the councillors were being biased by Mr Surtees' comments because they were not privy to a report on the proposal by the council’s senior landscape architect, Mr Gary Bate-

man, criticising the Victoria Square site. Cr Clark wants Mr Bateman’s report circulated to all councillors and Mr Bateman to speak to the councillors about his criticisms. He also demanded the council reconsider its sanction of the site and in view of “intense public interest in the matter the staff discontinue their involvement in redesigning Victoria Square ... until the matter has been resolved.” Cr Clark said last evening, “Councillors and staff are getting concerned about the public reaction — they wanted no public clamour and now the staff are trying to get other councillors to disagree with me.”

He expressed anger about Mr Surtees’ comments and said senior staff members had no

right to “parade his comments around like that”

Cr Clark said because of Mr Surtees’ actions he was more determined to oppose the site.

“There are plenty of alternative sites for the tower,” he said. “There is no way I’m going to be diverted in my feelings about the site.”

A petition was to begin within the next few days and public meetings held to discuss opposition over the Victoria Square site.

He was disturbed to find many residents did not realise the implications of the tower until recently.

“This shows that our local authorities must work much harder to keep the public fully informed on all major projects.”