The issue of health and safety – and district council liability – has pushed the council to likely open fresh dialogue over a one million dollar Riddiford Bridge pier replacement with Te Awhaiti Station run-holder Dan Riddiford.
But the concern about health and safety liability only emerged after a tied vote on whether to commit $445,000 of ratepayers’ money to help fix one busted concrete bridge pier.
In an unusual move, committee chairwoman and deputy mayor Melissa Sadler-Futter declined to resolve the 5-5 tie by refusing to exercise her casting vote.
Instead, after long debate, she said she “would prefer to put this back to the table to be re-voted rather than use a casting vote.”
The question: receive the officers’ bridge report, approve $445,000 of bridge repair funding from council – contingent on NZ Transport Agency approving a 51% subsidy for the repairs – with the issue to return to the committee if no NZTA approval was forthcoming.
The motion passed with the support of six councillors.
Earlier, mayor Martin Connelly firmly opposed council meeting the bill, as “I can’t see how we can go to ratepayers and say we will spend a million dollars on this bridge” when Te Awhaiti Station owner Riddiford was a ratepayer “not necessarily willing to shoulder their share of the (rates) burden.”
Councillor Kaye McAulay said council needed staff “to find a way to not spend this” money. “We can hardly ask ratepayers to cover the cost of this. It is clearly an ongoing (charge against council funds) for one person.”
Sadler-Futter asked what the health and safety and reputational risks were of not funding the bridge work.
Officials noted “the bridge is part of the council’s mandate” of maintaining the district’s roading infrastructure. Not acting to repair the bridge would create a health and safety issue that is unacceptable.
“We’re stuck,” said Stefan Corbett, group manager Partnerships & Operations.
Councillor Rebecca Gray noted that the station property would be landlocked with no bridge.
Councillor Colin Olds said council “has no choice but to maintain the bridge as we have done for 100 years in the past.”
Sadler-Futter warned of the “legal obligation” to maintain the bridge – which also allows access to nearby Maori land.
