‘The council chief who defended Manukau mayor Len Brown’s credit card use has had to hand over details of his own spending.
Manukau City Council chief executive Leigh Auton’s spending habits are contained in 129 pages of material covering the period June 2008 to April 20 this year, obtained by the Sunday Star-Times under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act.
During that time South Auckland ratepayers have spent more than $5000 wining and dining Auton and his guests, nearly $10,000 on hotels, more than $1000 on taxis, more than $5000 on various airline and professional memberships and concert tickets, and $137.78 for having his council-owned Mazda washed and polished.
Auton is paid $412,079 a year. His council Visa bill for the period was $26,724.57 and included trips to some of Auckland’s best restaurants – such as $541.50 at Cin Cin in June 2008, and $717 six days later at Parnell’s Tribeca. It also included $911.04 for a newspaper delivered to his home.’ source
We live 20minutes from town in a very small community and the local council (which doesn’t supply sewage, water or rubbish collection services) is going to close our local refuse dump because it’s “not economic”. This, despite the fact it’s only open for a few hours once a week. Apparently providing “social services” to local unemployed yoof and to sports organisations are higher priorities. It’s high time these bastards were reined in.
