Close to 80% of respondents to a survey asking residents and businesses about their experiences getting a building consent from the Invercargill City Council (ICC) have said their dealings with the council were “unsatisfactory”.

A total of 63 responses had been received to the survey which was put together by law firm Mee and Henry Law last Friday.

11.1% of respondents said they had a “neutral satisfaction” with dealing with the council, while 9.6% had a “satisfactory response”. 61% of respondents had complained directly to council about their concerns.

Mee and Henry Law director Liz Henry detailed the results this afternoon in the public forum at the ICC's regulatory committee meeting.

She said that of the 63 responses received so far, they addressed at least 366 dealings that the ICC has had with the respondents, with all but three related to dealings that have taken place in the last 12 months.

“It’s become an ‘us vs them’ environment and it’s no longer acceptable…concerns raised were predominantly around staffing. There is a serious concern regarding welfare of your (ICC) staff. There is a serious concern regarding the role that you’re undertaking as a BCA and a territory authority which seems to be divergent to the rules for the expectations of the respondents in the city."

Mrs Henry speaks to the committee this afternoon. PHOTO: Ben Waterworth

Mrs Henry said further concerns resulted around the complaints process, the fee structure and its transparency and the unnecessary regulation and red tape.

“I can stress to you that the problem with regard to the timing and process of consents has been illustrated within the survey as existing for a long time.”

Responding to a question asked by Councillor Lindsay Abbott about people fearing repercussions should they complain to council about the consents process, Mrs Henry said that several respondents did not follow through with a formal complaint due to fear of what would happen to their applications.

“Of particular concern is about five businesses that have come from an architectural background where they’ve ceased trading with Invercargill City Council clients on the basis that they understand that they had tainted the ability of those clients to be able to obtain building consents with previous dealings with council.

“Several of them have indicated to me that they are actively working with 17 other districts within the country with no consequences or no problems as a result of their applications.”

She said that she had also received several phone calls and emails saying that they didn’t want to take part in the survey due to the same fears.

The council will debate a motion in the next full council meeting on December 10 to have an independent staff review be undertaken by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) after Councillor Toni Biddle forwarded the idea during the urgent business section of the meeting.

Councillor Biddle said it was important council got on the “front foot” of the issue.

“It was the most consistent complaint that I had as an elected member in my first term and I feel that it has now accelerated to the point where there are some very stressed in the industry and the community…the things that Mrs Henry has raised today can’t be ignored. There is no harm in us front footing the community has lost faith in us and I just think that it’s our responsibility to ensure that there is well-being for our staff being considered.”

The survey is still open and Mrs Henry said once it is closed she will present it to council in the form of a formal complaint, as well as to the MBIE.

CLICK HERE to view the survey.