As a ratepayer I never cease to be amazed by the financial naivety of some of my “representatives”.
It is my contention that all candidates for election to the position of local board member or councillor should have to demonstrate that they at least have a rudimentary understanding of a profit and loss account and a balance sheet before submitting their names for candidacy.
Our representatives make decisions involving large amounts of ratepayer money. Therefore, we have a right to feel confident that they have some basic financial ability.
Last month I wrote an article saying the Mangere Community Health Trust was in trouble.
On 21 August it was placed in receivership and PKF’s Christopher McCallagh and Stephen Lawrence were appointed as liquidators.
The first liquidators’ report indicates they intend to dispense with a meeting of creditors and creditors have until 20 October to lodge a claim. It is estimated the liquidation will take at least six months. The Trust has assets of $67000. Preferential creditors are owed $108367. Unsecured creditors are owed $310743. How can such a situation arise?
The Chairman of the Trust is Alf Filipaina (Auckland City Councillor).
Under Auckland Council’s Code of Conduct for Councillors Section 5.9 Duty to Uphold the Law states “Members should uphold the law and on all occasions act in accordance with the trust the public places in them.”
Accountability in Auckland Council 