Editor,
The Kāpiti Coast District Council has 106 registered vehicles for its 261 staff. Until 30 July this year 70 of these vehicles have been taken home each evening by staff.
This includes 8 cars that are allocated through individual employment contracts that all attract free private use. Also included are the 8 vehicles currently being taken home each evening by people who live outside the district.
Subsequent to an Official Information Act response, the KCDC has confirmed to me that the total of vehicles includes 34 cars 42 utilities 14 trucks 9 vans and 7 tractors.
Also included in their Official information Act response was advice of a new Council vehicle policy determining that some vehicles must now be garaged at Council facilities overnight rather than be taken home. Alternatively staff can have the option of taking a vehicle home and paying a fee that is yet to be decided.
As a District Wide Candidate for the coming elections who wants common sense brought back to Council decision-making, all costs and activity use associated with the operating of a vehicle fleet of this size must be transparent and every vehicle must be able to be justified.
While the new Council decision is welcome recognition that current Council policy for motor vehicle use was wrong, changing this prior to an election does not explain why so many vehicles are necessary nor does it show to ratepayers that the vehicle fleet is being correctly or efficiently managed.
Mike Cardiff
Waikanae
