This one time, at the LGA conference...

One advantage of having LawsWatch HQ in a cave behind the water tower is we don't have to worry about the roof being torn off. But the lack of a door does make us somewhat prone to flooding... like the rest of Wanganui Watchers have been somewhat preoccupied of late. We hope you're all managing to recover from the effects of the weather which - we mention in passing - seems to cast doubt on all this talk of global warming. In this part of the world at least, we've had our fill of global wettening.

It's also the time of year when Council is traditionally quiet (aside from its unexpected Civil Defence duties), leaving Watchers with minimal material for new posts and more time for important duties such as firewood gathering and mulled wine making (hint: doing them in that order minimises unexpected conflagrations when the wood is lit).

There has, however, been one item of great significance which cannot pass without comment because, in more than a year of observing Council this is the first time we've been able to report this: Dotty has had an independent thought. Sort of. About her right to take junkets.

The annual Local Government bunfight in Wellington, to be precise, described by Mayor Mickey as "a waste of ratepayers' money" because "the entire programme consists of platitudinous speeches and bad cocktail parties".

Dotty, however, couldn't contain her excitement at being allowed to go:

Attending a Local Government Association conference is not everyone's 'cup of tea', but it is a way of learning about the wider issues facing territorial authorities and an opportunity to meet fellow councillors and central government officials/politicians. This week Cr Sue Westwood, chief executive Dr David Warburton and I attended the Wellington conference, listened to relevant guest speakers, learned how others performed and measured up and met old and new friends. I guess that is what conferences are generally about.

Yes Dotty, that and all the tea drinking you get to do.

Goodness... did we just agree with Michael Laws on something?

Meanwhile, a commenter expresses some confusion about the role of Kate Gilpin, asking whether we'd forgotten her appointment as "replacement Spin Fairy".

That's certainly the way it was heralded by Mickey after he'd plucked her from obscurity (err... shouldn't that be plucked her to obscurity? - Ed.) immediately after informing Spin Fairy Mk I Helen Lawrence that she was a superfluous appendage.

But even though Mickey seemed to have her sitting outside with her motor revving before Lawrence had left the room, she's not Mickey's plaything in the way that Spin Fairy Mk I was.

In fact the Council "restructuring" seems to have put an end to the position of media executive to the mayor that Mickey used to ensure Lawrence worked out of his office, answered to him and was even paid a salary top-up by him.

Instead, the new girl on the block is simply an underling in the communications department with Sue Dudman calling the shots.

This points to a CEO who saw the problems with the provisions of the legislation that requires him to appoint and instruct all staff. It also points to a CEO knee-in-the-knackers for Mickey's quest for world domination. And the fact that it went unnoticed and unquestioned by the Chron points to an editor who knew his place in Mickey's scheme of things.

And lastly - as the mulled wine seems to have reached drinkable temperature - since when have councillors felt it is appropriate to publicly critique submissions to council before they've been heard?

Well, almost never, unless the councillor in question happens to be Dotty, who gives submitters who've had the temerity to question diVision's plans to slash councillor numbers a good slagging. Perhaps she dictated that particular column over a good strong cup of tea at the LGS conference in one of Wellington's many tea houses. In a LawsWatch mug, of course.

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