ARC chair Gwen Bull will meet with RAM

The chair of the Auckland Regional Council, Gwen Bull, has accepted RAM's invitation to a consultation meeting between the ARC and RAM over the council's draft Annual Plan.

RAM is short for Residents Action Movement, and grew out of an organising committee of ARC rates boycotters.

All media are invited to this meeting between Mrs Bull and RAM.

RAM has replied to the ARC chair, thanking her for attending and stressing that her views and those of others from the ARC will be listened to without interruption, and RAM supporters will in turn put forward their views.

RAM has also reconfirmed this three-point meeting agenda with Mrs Bull:

"Agenda: Look at the ARC's broad strategies (rather than 'micro' details) around three issues of key importance for RAM: (a) ARC rates, particularly the business differential. (b) The future of public transport in Auckland. (c) The ARC's democratic processes."

Mrs Bull joins two other ARC councillors, Sandra Coney and Brian Smith, in accepting RAM's invitation.

An apology has been received from ARC councillor Mike Lee, who says he will be "away from Auckland at that time".

"Hopefully, the willingness of ARC chair Gwen Bull and ARC councillors Sandra Coney and Brian Smith to meet with RAM will be followed by positive replies from yet more ARC councillors," said Grant Morgan, spokesperson for RAM.

"At this consultation meeting, RAM will be looking closely at the strategies behind the ARC's policies on rating, transport and democracy," said Mr Morgan.

"RAM stands for reversing the huge rises in homeowner rates, creating a world class public transport network and vastly extending grassroots democracy."

"These are the policies RAM will be taking into this October's ARC election, when we will be standing a united team of ten candidates across greater Auckland," said Mr Morgan. "RAM is the political voice of the Rates Revolt."

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