The recent council decision to give more control to the community over the running of Tauranga's Historic Village (Village on 17th) was expected to resolve some problems.
According to villagers, it was left to languish in recent years despite council assurances to the contrary.

This is the fifth article in the SunLive series which is providing Tauranga City Council candidates the opportunity to directly and succinctly state their views on some of the city's major issues. Below the article are links to the candidate responses categorised by the constituency they are contesting.

In recent years the council has fixed some of the village's major problems; the flooding and the power supply.
But, the council's latest decision has seen village stalwart Des Ferrow pull out of involvement with it.
The Tauranga Charitable Trust trustee says his organisation has decided to leave because the council has found it cannot deliver on its promises until July 1, 2011.

Leading up till July 2011, council staff are charged with interpreting the councillors' voiced hope that the village will run similarly to the Tauranga Airport Authority or the marina, where the people involved in the enterprise have an ‘actual' rather than ‘token' voice in management.
The village today is a $4 million asset owned by the council that brings in no return.
The volunteer programmes currently operating through the village represent a skilled and willing workforce able to work at little personal cost to restore, refurbish and repair buildings that are showing obvious signs of neglect.
The village is not currently open weekends.
The village also houses Village Radio, which recently became part of the community radio fm network.
It will be operating in future with a much greater public profile and needs a ground floor street front studio instead of the first floor where it is now. Without this change its chairman Colin Beere says Village Radio may also be forced to pull out.
Determining the future of the Historic Village is a decision the incoming Tauranga City Council will need to consider.

Mayor

Bill Faulkner
The village is a true survivor. Originally a government subsidised work scheme it wound up on ratepayers plates after government pulled the funding rug out from under its feet. Councils don't run things like this well. That's not a criticism, it's just how it is. The way forward is for the community to run it with volunteers and some council ‘facilitation' in continuing capital works like flood protection and other ownership responsibilities. I see the village operated by a volunteer base with proactive marketing type management bringing events back there. Income could come from existing rents. The Mens Shed could be the base from which to build a thriving volunteer base.

Hori Leaming
Unfortunately the Historic Village is a great example of letting people like Des Ferrow and Colin Beere run the show and keep council the hell out of it. Twenty years ago my mum and dad were part of a huge volunteer workforce that maintained and helped make the Historic Village a living, exciting valuable asset for this city. The cost to run the show was modest compared to the alternative in which the TCC decided to put a yank in there to make a profit. She sacked all the volunteers, the experiment failed and she buggered off back to the states. Back to the future I say.

Stuart Crsoby
I support the proposed direction for the village which includes a place that welcomes a range of community groups, supported by an active trading and a seven day visitor experience.
A charitable trust with capable people should be set-up to manage the village supported by a ‘friends of the village group'. The trust should run the village independently of council in a financially sustainable manner.

Mark Groos
Another council project/asset being mismanaged and unnecessarily costing our community.
Des Ferrow – a community stalwart and very patient man, has had enough. Part of the solution is an objective supply of accurate information. I saw an article reported recently from TECT Trustees. When asked for the detail of their concerns and the evidence, Trustees replied they had none. The article failed to mention two of the Trustees' own businesses which are CITY Partners ie are financially connected to council!
The Tauranga community needs access to accurately and objectively reported information – how about a story on the 17.8 per cent rates rise?

Mount Maunganui-Papamoa Ward

David Stewart
Tauranga City Council needs to initiate change to the way the village is run. There appears to be potential to not only cater for social services that benefit our community, but to also present the village as a visitor and tourist attraction and destination.
The key to the village's future success is how the village is managed. We gave an undertaking earlier in the year at a meeting held with the village occupants that having taken on their comments and concerns we would explore some options and get back to them. The council is now in a position to meet with them again and discuss options for a way forward.

Steve Morris
Tauranga has a wealth of community and volunteer organisations, over 20 call the Village on 17th home. Whether it be advocacy for our seniors or help for prisoners trying to make a fresh start, these organisations that make up the ‘third sector' keep our society functioning.
It is unacceptable for bureaucracy to get in the way of those who are volunteering or working for the benefit of the community, sometimes at great cost to themselves. Should I be elected in a few weeks time I look forward to supporting our volunteers and community groups and working towards a solution.

Wayne Moultrie
The Historic Village is at the crossroads once more. It does not and will not draw large numbers of visitors in its present form.
Great leaders of the past have fought tooth and nail to preserve the village. Men like Noel Nicholls, Russel Standish, Bob Owens. To that list we now add Des Ferrow.
The answer may well lie in the Wickham site. Its greatest contribution to the village could be either its sale or leasing for car parking. In this way funds will be available to upgrade the core functions of the village.
Be there a council so bold?

Otumoetai-Pyes Pa Ward

Catherine Stewart
Elected members decided that the Historic Village is to be community driven by a trust or such like entity.
It is incorrect to say that the Historic Village ‘brings in no return'.
Rents are paid and I understand that they cover most of the maintenance costs at the Village.
The Village has huge potential for locals and tourists.
Last Wednesday I saw history ‘come alive' thanks to the foresight of Tauranga Intermediate School.
The Village was ‘buzzing' with hundreds of pupils, parents, school teachers, families and friends enjoying different activities and learning experiences around the village.

Mike Baker
Without doubt the Historic Village is a topic that has received extensive consideration by councils over many years.
I agree with the new approach forward whereby the community, using the facility, have more control over its future but as the village improvements and maintenance etc are also funded by ratepayers obviously the ratepayers also need to have their interests protected.
The village provides an invaluable service housing many community based groups which would otherwise have to pay market rents to be housed elsewhere. This should continue, however, ‘life' could be bred into the village with more trading activities established and this should be supported to make the village a seven-day a week operation.

Larry Baldock
The Historic village has much to offer and the facilities must be preserved. It is one of those issues that come between community aspirations and the hard realities of costs, particularly at this time in light of unsustainable debt levels for council. The plan to give greater control to the community needs time to see if it can work though the exit of long time benefactor and supporter Des Farrow is a real loss. Current lack of funding should not be allowed to hinder the development of a long-term plan that will achieve the best for the village and city.

Andrew Cass
The Historic Village is a pretty unique asset for Tauranga. Unfortunately its location works against it in terms of commercial scale investment however it certainly does have a place in our heritage and cultural future. It is a perfect location for certain events and I would like to see it better utilised for family fun events and also keeping community groups together. I will be supporting continued investment in sensible projects at a scale that doesn't adversely affect rates in a long term view to preserving its historical context.

Nigel Stichbury
I keep on hearing sitting councillors quoting 'past council decisions”, as a blame mechanism.
The current state of the village appears another example of this well used quote, or is it indecisions?
Finally after all these years of deferment and indifference to the value the village could have and provide for the community, they are admitting 'they don't know”, and hoping to pass the responsibility on to people who may do.
Unfortunately the people who could make this move a success have had enough and are not willing to wait any longer in hope for a positive from council.

I certainly hope it's not too late for the village as to me it has so much to offer.

Jane Lyndon

Sadly it has been a political football for too long. A complete review is needed to determine its future. A board of Management should govern it and a group of 'Friends of the Village' with help should maintain it. As well as volunteer programmes and organisations it would make a great 'Artsville' and cultural village.
The bones are there! Village Radio would have its ground floor street front studio to promote village. It should open seven days a week with restaurant and cafe.
At present it is a rotting $4 million asset crying out for loving tender care.

Te Papa-Welcome Bay Ward

Michael Morris
Throughout history, from the Pyramids, Solomon's Temple, and the Easter Island statues, rulers have erected monuments to their own egos. These have proved hideously expensive, caused immense hardship, and been unsustainable. The museum over the water continues this trend.
In contrast, the Historic Village provides community art and participation at a reasonable price. I have just finished performing in the ‘Merchant of Venice' at Detours Theatre in the Historic Village; continuing the tradition of Shakespeare in providing culture for the community. I support the Historic Village as an ideal location for community initiated, council supported events, including a museum.

Bill Grainger
I organised the Tauranga Intermediate School to present a survey they did on the Historic Village to the council.
It is very sad and a shock to see Des Ferrow vacate the village after being notified by council staff that nothing could be done until July 2011.
Des is the backbone to the village and without him present will be devastating, although he will still be giving full support from the outside.
Let's form a trust committee that will operate at arms length from council, and if managed well, with volunteer support, it should come to life again and be enjoyed by all... that's what our community wants!
Mens Shed needs to be supported.

Rob Davies
It's important to remember that this is a time of change for the village, and in the time I've been in Tauranga it has never looked better. As a venue for community groups and organisations, it's important decisions are made in concert with tenants and the public. It was great seeing school children from our city spend the day at the village to learn more about the history of our region. I see the village's future as being positive, with it playing home to more events like the Jazz Festival and developing into a hub for our community.

Lloyd Davies
The Historic Village is a community treasure that must be preserved with its attractions supported, enhanced and progressively and carefully added to. I was involved with Village Radio for four years and am trustee on Volunteer Western Bay of Plenty Board (currently chairperson), another long term tenant. The council's decision to allow the community more say in the village's future is the right one. Why the delay until July 2011? The process of change should start now, terms of reference drawn up for a community-led steering group, appointments made without delay with a view to establishing a long-term governing trust.

At-Large

Bonnie Leonard
I have been involved with Historic Village since the outset and am part of Village Radio now. We have existed on promises and been punished with rising rent from council to the point of extinction.
The village should be a tourist/ craft/ boutique shop and museum complex, run by a trust. It is a valuable city asset, an ideal events location and represents a tribute to our past as well as a community venture which succeeded before council took it over. It is not a viable operation the way it is operated at present.

Tony Christiansen
The Historic Village was a wonderful city asset... that was regrettably abandoned by past city leaders. However, it is not a priority core service in a city that is over taxed. Sadly, Tauranga cannot currently afford luxuries until we have first provided for basic community infrastructure. The Historic Village falls into the category of a commercial venture. In my view, council should focus solely on core infrastructure and community services. It should not be involved in anything commercial. Given ratepayers own the land, the village should be given to a credible community group at a peppercorn rental to operate.

David Love
Since my return some seven years ago, the Historic Village has always seemed to be a ‘lost opportunity' at every turn. With tremendous potential, the village is an appropriate setting as a tourist attraction and a centre of entertainment and of various arts and crafts for local people. The fact that Des Ferrow has lost patience with the bureaucratic red tape is just another example of the council machine being unsympathetic to the needs of the city.
Properly managed in the commercial sense, open at appropriate times and properly advertised as an attraction, the village can be successfully reborn.

Jonnie Mead
The Historic Village is a typical case of not maximizing an existing resource. The village has stock and plant, something to expand on without the expense of consents, ground work, designers, consultants. However, the suggestion of enhancing it and making it more user friendly is something that I would support philosophically and financially in council. Let's ask a marketing question (situational analysis)… is all the Historic Village stands for easy to find, accessible (wheelchair access, opening hours etc): is it promoted, does it have a strong identity/meaning/purpose? Might it also enhance the community of Greerton just down the road in its quest for a stronger sense of ‘place'?

Tony Young
With sadness I write this response, having been born and lived all my life in Tauranga I remember the village in its prime, spending many weekends wandering, learning and having fun. I believe it has so much potential and could be a huge asset to Tauranga. Once again the lack of forward thinking has seen its deterioration over the years. Des Farrow has given his time and money to this cause, and with $4m of our money invested one would think TCC could do better, and wouldn't require a huge council cash injection, I just hope its not too late and we haven't lost another great asset.

Sue Hawkins
It is incredible that a once thriving and vibrant community asset has been allowed to languish. No wonder village volunteers and user groups are frustrated. Councillors need to work with these groups to develop a collective vision for the village so that this unique facility is preserved – it is a heritage icon and is irreplaceable. Urgently needed is innovative marketing, programming and an investigation into the best ways to bring in revenue. Tourists all over the world are looking for unique visitor attractions and we have one right here, albeit on life-support.

Richard Moore
The Historic Village has been shamefully treated by council and its officers and is currently being allowed to wither and die.
I have talked with many of the people involved in the village and the stories they tell make me shake my head at the unthinking actions of the bureaucracy.
The village should be a major attraction. It should have artesans working there as live attractions. Carvers, painters, musicians, glassblowers, potters...
We need it to have live weekends where visitors can go along and see how forebears lived and worked.
I don't want to see the village as the major museum for Tauranga.
It has its place in the future of my city as a live re-enactment venue much like Motat in Auckland.
I will do my best to immediately protect and enhance the village before it is too late to save.

Allan Andrews
Without knowing a great deal about the setting up of the Historic Village one cannot help but think the whole concept should have been closer to the central city and incorporate a museum.
It needs to be where we have our greatest numbers of visitors and foot traffic. If it incorporates a walk even better and it needs to be open on weekends.
I appreciate most of these are probably too late to implement but some criticism must be directed at poor planning of the site originally.