Yes, the ratepayers do own the event. We paid $3 million whether we liked it or not. But it is a commercial event, not a community event. The main difference is that a commercial event is set up as a business, to make a profit and achieve measurable outputs. The Ellerslie International Flower Show (EIFS) has been bought by the Council to attract visitors to Christchurch in a "shoulder" tourism season. (" ... revenue which was important for our hospitality industry during an economic depression.") A community event is run primarily for the benefit of the local community residents with visitors being an added bonus and is usually free of charge.

The Ellerslie International Flower Show Limited company was incorporated on 12 March 2008 with the company's address shown as the Civic Chambers. As the event will be run under the auspices of this company, it is not obliged to provide any details other than those required by the Companies Office and by its owner ...  the shareholders, we ratepayers - or the sole director named as one Paul Joseph Anderson of llam?

It cost the ratepayers $3million to buy the BRAND "Ellerslie" as we're told that is  the value of it to International visitors and/or to International recognition. So, where is the report on the number of attendees at the event in 2009 and in 2010, broken down by their city and/or country of origin. This non-financial analysis should be a priority of reporting since it's the overseas visitors that are the reason for the event, the timing and the purchase price. And it would not breach any "commercial and in confidence" clause.

Perhaps that report will show that the $88,000 loss this year, claimed by the organisers to be as a result of bad weather, was actually locals (walk-ups) deciding not to go when they see the state of the sky on the day?  It is unusual to run an event with that amount of unsold tickets prior to gates-open.

Then there's the cost of the infrastructure installation in Hagley Park - whose budget and whose oversight? What about the 13 half-hour episodes of "The Road to Ellerslie" TV programme that aired on TV One in 2009? TVNZ is not listed as a sponsor so who paid what for that? A Council Public Affairs staff member is listed as the Communications Advisor for that programme?

So a Council-owned company (paying taxes to Central Government) is running the show and propping it up as sponsors are three Council-controlled trading organisations ... Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism, City Care and the Airport. What dividend might the City have derived from those last two had they not "invested" in the EIFS? And, as Council-owned company, did the EIFS Limited pay a dividend on its profit to the Council last year?

Meanwhile, the residents of Christchurch are two significant events short of a SummerTimes. The Teddy Bear's Picnic budget was removed by the Events & Festivals Sub-Committee when I was the Council's Events Manager - ironically to fund another Councillor-run foray into getting a garden show off the ground. In a meeting with the Radio Network, it was agreed (behind closed doors albeit) that THEY would pay the costs and the Council Events team would carry on running it - since we were still being paid to! That's how Christchurch residents continued to enjoy their beloved Teddy Bear's Picnic from 2004 to ....

In 2009, the EIFS was being installed at Hagley Park so someone made the decision to shoehorn the Teddy Bears Picnic into Mona Vale. This past year, (without any no reference to TRN), the Teddy Bears Picnic was watered down and amalgamated with a local community event at The Groynes.

And I can only assume that the decision to cut one of the two big outdoor concerts in Hagley Park was because the Council needed the money to pay for Ellerslie and because of the EIFS pack-in, there wasn't enough time to run both. So, rather than the one show that was different to any other city's big outdoor concerts, the one that was cheaper and the one that was sponsored ... someone decided on Classical Sparks. And the truly spectacular, unique, Showbiz production of Starry Nights that attracted people from all over the South Island and the thrilled International tourists already here, disappeared.

That leaves the Events Team two events short of what they're being paid for unless they're working on the EIFS too?

So, it's not only the financial cost of the EIFS upfront and ongoing but also the gutting of the enjoyment of the free SummerTimes events that's causing ratepayer resentment. The real cost of the Ellerslie International Flower Show is that it's another reason for the loss of respect and trust in the Council by the Christchurch ratepayers.

Islay McLeod is an Independent candidate, endorsed by Peoples Choice, standing for the Hagley Ferrymead Community Board.