❀ Dr Reynold Macpherson

Councillor Election201320162019
Votes6,620
Placing8th
Councilor Election Results – 2013 – 2019

On Westbrook Sports Precinct:

  • 28 June 2021 – Council meeting – voted against the Trumper motion.  ❀❀❀
  • 28 June 2021 – Council meeting – signaled to his fellow elected members that if the Trumper motion wasn’t carried he would intend to move that the Springfield Golf Club have it’s lease extended now, on the same terms and conditions and that the Springfield Golf Course be removed from the Westbrook Proposal. ❀❀❀
  • 17 June 2021 – Together with Cr Peter Bentley he put onto the Council agenda for it’s meeting of 28 June 2021 a motion toΒ extend the current lease on the same terms and conditions. ❀❀❀
  • 18 May 2021 – Was absent for Shirley Trumper’s motion: That the discussion on the future of the Springfield Golf Course be deferred until such time as a full assessment is conducted by Council on a future sports facility that is fit for purpose to meet the future needs of the Rotorua community to go out for full consultation at the appropriate time.Β 
  • 19 Apr 2021 – Attended the Springfield Community Conversation and spoke in support of Council extending the Golf Club’s lease. ❀

Council Meeting of 28 June 2021

Cr Macpherson: Fresh facts have come to light that were not available to the SP&F Committee. A fresh analysis of the key drivers of the Westbrook proposal, especially the availability of playing hours have been posted to the Saving Springfield Website. With your permission, can I have those documents distributed because indicate the fresh facts.

Mayor Chadwick: I’m not sure they are fresh facts. We don’t re-debate here at Council. We can reconsider but the debate was had in committee. These facts, one is, I’ve got them here. I’ve got no problem about them being circulated. One is in our own name so it’s not a fresh fact at all.

Cr Macpherson: Perhaps if I were to summarise the substantial issues.

Mayor Chadwick: If you could speak a bit there.

Cr Macpherson: The key driver for repurposing the Springfield Golf Course in the Westbrook Proposal is a deficit of 70-80 playing and training hours per week. Now based on the Council’s own report an investment of $2.1 million on upgrading Rotorua’s 35 sports fields will add 100 hours per week and create a surplus of 25-35 hours per week. There is therefore, logically, no need to repurpose the Springfield Golf Course in order to deliver quality sports fields.

Hence, as permitted by standing order 24.5, I would like to signal that in the event of this recommendation from SP&F Committee not being carried, my intention is to move that Springfield Golf Club have it’s lease extended – now – on the same terms and conditions and that the Springfield Golf course be removed from the Westbrook proposal. [applause]

Mayor Chadwick:

Cr Macpherson, as you understand, this item is not for debate today. Not the lease. The recommendation is that we do a full assessment and this data could be very helpful for that and I’ve got no problem with it being distributed. But I don’t know where this came from. There’s no name to it.

Cr Macpherson:

That’s the presentation made by Mr Watene.

Mayor Chadwick:

Oh so it’s already in the public domain.

Cr Macpherson: Yes

Mayor Chadwick: Ok, so it’s in the public domain. We’ve got no problem with it being handed around. The Notice of Motion that you proposed, Cr Macpherson, was actually incorrectly put. You have been working with Council officers about how this can be considered. But the consideration of an extension of lease was not something we discussed at committee, so I cannot accept that.

We are discussing the recommendation before us here today, which is the LTP discussion. It’s not the lease.

Cr Macpherson: My point, just to further that, if I may. All I’m seeking today is should this recommendation not be carried and people on Council do prefer to pause, then that’s the only time my proposed motion comes in to play. So if we could please leave my proposed motion on the table that would be consistent with standing order 24.5.

Mayor Chadwick: Would you like to restate your proposed motion, Cr Macpherson, just so we get it right?

Cr Macpherson: Absolutely. It’s in the event that this motion not being carried then my intention, I need to declare according to standing orders, the motion is that the Springfield Golf Club have it’s lease extended now on the same terms and conditions and that the Springfield Golf Course be removed from the Westbrook proposal.

Mayor Chadwick: So that’s an item that has been referred and you’ve been guided to put it to a future committee. We cannot accept that Cr Macpherson. We’re to discuss this motion. You’re signaling an intention at a later stage.

Cr Macpherson: Well today, or at a later stage, it’s simply saying that in the event of this proposal not being carried then consideration will be given to my motion. Standing orders allow me to signal that intention.

Cr Raukawa-Tait: That would definitely come to the Strategy, Policy and Finance Committee.

Mayor Chadwick: That’s right. That’s what I was trying to help you with Cr Macpherson. It’s a substantial item to discuss whether or not we increase a lease for 30 years. And that would come before the right committee. So we understand you are signaling an intention that that be discussed at a committee of Council – not today. Thank you.

Cr Macpherson: The purpose of signaling was to give fellow elected members the option of not supporting this in the knowledge that this matter will be revisited either here or at SP&F.

Mayor Chadwick: That’s not how you put it Cr Macpherson. I heard you very clearly. It was β€œif this failed”. We’ll hold that here. Very clear as to where it will be referred if this motion before us is lost. So are there speakers to this motion please?