The Dux and The Arts Centre Saga (Part Two): Council Emails Released and the "Rich White Guys" Comment
The NZR continues uncovering the ongoing debacle of the Dux and Arts Centre's entangled future, incl. "Rich White Guys" comment and Aldridge's close involvement in a council resolution in June 2023.
Pictured: the former Dux de Lux/UC Student Union building.
On 2 May [2023], James Stewart told Gough by email that “We also agreed to shift our ReDux entity to a sub-trust of the [Arts Centre Trust Board] to give them control and remove any perception of council loaning to rich white guys.”
Redux representative James Stewart to councillor James Gough
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Presumably after that day's meeting with Mauger, Council executive Darel Hall and Aldridge began work to finalise the wording for a council resolution regarding the former Dux.
Whether it is normal practice for members of the public to work so closely with council officers on the wording of council resolutions is unclear but this is what developed.
Hall asked Aldridge whether the draft was adequate -
“how does this sound as a resolution,” wrote Hall.
"That Council authorises officers to: a) engage with the Christchurch Arts Centre Trust Board and report back on options for the public use of 39 Hereford Street, Christchurch (known as “the Dux” or former University of Canterbury Students’ Association), to consider before adopting the draft Long Term Plan 2024-2034.”
About half an hour later, Aldridge suggested “a slight tweak”, by rewording the Arts Centre’s name.
Hall says “Yes, Phil has agreed to the wording as per the tweak.”
Email correspondence between council executive Darel Hall and Arts Centre Director, Philip Aldridge prior to the resolution being passed on 27 June 2023
Contents -
* James Stewart Contacts James Gough
* Aldridge and Mauger Meet for Third Time
* A Detailed Proposal
James Stewart Contacts James Gough
During May 2023, James Stewart reached out to councillor Jamie Gough for advice on how to move the Redux proposal forward. Emails flowed back and forth between 2 and 24 May with council staff and Gough.
On 2 May, James Stewart told Gough by email that “We also agreed to shift our ReDux entity to a sub-trust of the [Arts Centre Trust Board] to give them control and remove any perception of council loaning to rich white guys.”
“-We put this proposal to Philip [Aldridge] and he came back with a firm ‘no’ as the [Arts Centre Trust Board] was working with council to ‘stabilise their finances’. We understand this to be an operating grant given their rental revenue doesn't cover their overheads.”
“We are at a loss as to why they wouldn't try to do both [the original 50 year lease and subsequent 25 year lease proposal], especially as our approach will take circa $100k of opex [operating expenditure] (insurance, mothballing costs, security, rates) from them pa [per annum] and will logically allow them to increase their rental revenue stream from other tenancies as the Dux draws 250,000 people back to the Arts Centre”.
Stewart appealed to Gough for options.
“Where do we go from here?” He asked whether they ought to apply to “council direct”, knowing they didn’t own the building and would have to work “constructively with Philip”, or “walk away and call it a day”.
Council executive Darel Hall replied -
“James Gough is spot on that Phil [Mauger] does want to find a solution to get the Dux reinstated.”
“Phil’s thinking is to recognise the fact that the [Arts Centre Trust Board]’s primary interest is in their Category 1 buildings”.
“The Annual Plan process facilitates a discussion with elected members, and with the public, about the options for the Dux as a Cat 2 building in which the [Arts Centre Trust Board] have limited interest.”
Hall continued to explain the process for obtaining a staff report for options and that leading to a “standalone decision” or one that could be part of the Long Term Plan.
Stewart agreed with viewpoint that the Arts Centre was prioritising its Category 1 buildings but disagreed regarding the Dux.
“From a political/public interest we think that the Dux (250,000 visitors pa) has a greater standing in the public eye.
In Hall’s reply he wrote “It doesn’t look like it externally, but internally the Long Term Plan process is in full swing so the timing is good.”
When Hall wrote “it doesn’t look like it externally”, he might have meant that a standalone decision was unlikely.”
Aldridge and Mauger Meet for Third Time
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