Westland council slammed over construction deal

The same council that awarded a contract to build two water treatment plants to a cake decorator, is now being criticised for its mishandling of another construction deal. On Tuesday the Office of the Auditor General released a report criticising the Westland District Council for building a stopbank without engineering reports or business cases. It also highlighted a councillor's conflict of interest who, along with the Mayor, made the call that emergency works were necessary. Bruce Smith is the Mayor of the Westland District Council and speaks to Gyles Beckford.