One of Sideshow Bob's faithful council lackey's is Gail 'Holiday' Sheriff.
Sheriff, another one of those politically 'independent' councillors, voted to increase coucil rents by a massive twenty-four percent.
This week however the High Court squashed that increase because due process, including consulting the tenants themselves, was not followed.
Like Sideshow Bob, Sheriff has not had the decency to apologise for her actions - in fact, she now says that council housing should be handed over to Housing New Zealand.
The sour and unpleasant Sheriff, having failed to get her own way, now wants to play by her own rules - so she can win everytime.
The Christchurch City Council has a proud history of providing social housing for over 70 years - it was the first local authority in New Zealand to provide housing for people in real need of affordable accommodation.
But this, apparently, is no consequence to Ms Sheriff.
Sheriff, as a city councillor, has an obligation and responsiility to uphold council policy. One of those policies is:
“To contribute to the community’s well-being by ensuring safe, accessible and affordable social housing is available to people on low incomes including elderly persons, and people with disabilities”.
This is taken from the Christchurch City Council's own website.
Will Mayor Parker rebuke Sheriff for openly attacking and not upholding council policy? He should of course but he won't. Sheriff is one of 'his people' and Parker never criticises his own. He reserves his broadsides for those on the left of the political spectrum.
Gail Sheriff, of course, was the councillor who earlier this year spent ten weeks in Bali - on full pay. She told the local media that she kept up with council work by checking her email a couple of times a day! Presumably this was while waiting for the barman to make her another Pina Colada.
Meanwhile council tenants are owed approximately one million dollars in rent reimbursement - but that reimbursement could be delayed if Sideshow Bob and his cronies on council decide to lodge an appeal.
The matter has become even more complicated with a growing number of council tenants stopping their rent payments until they are adjusted.
Remember, Sideshow Bob and his council supporters have been taking money from people on low and fixed incomes - money that the High Court has told them they were not entitled to take.
For Sideshow Bob to lodge an appeal would simply be adding insult to injury.
At the time of last year's local body elections a rumour circulated that Bob Parker planned to do away with Council housing. With his election at stake, Parker's team quickly responded with a leaflet drop to the mailboxes of all Council tenants, affirming his long-term commitment to the Council's policy of providing affordable housing for those in need.
ReplyDeleteParker has never even remotely given the impression of being his own man. Whatever he does appears to be at the behest of his shadowy backers. If he fails to speak out then Sheriff's petulant dummy-spit can be assumed to represent the real agenda for which he provides a smarmy facade.
For another example of damage wreaked by lack of consultation in this city :
ReplyDeletehttp://quieterplease.blogspot.com/
The first 4-5 posts pretty well explain the situation.
This was allowed - surprise surprise - by Council led by garry moore - car enthusiast.
It looks like this blog isn't updated much but I know the issue is ongoing, in fact a working party was supposed to report back in October according to Council minutes
I despise and hate them.
ReplyDeleteHow does it happen that people actually vote for that moron Gail Sheriff.
Going to a Council meeting a watch them in action will make you ill.