The Waikato Times today reported the Hamilton City Council threatening legal action against Christchurch City Council over similarities in an advertising campaign promoting the New Zealand Cup and Show Weekend.

The article cites the reason for this extreme action is because Hamilton City Council had spent $700,000 on developing a 'brand' for itself, and the Christchurch City Council advertising had used some of the brand elements in its advertising.

However, Hamilton City Council should consider carefully where it goes from here, according to Council Watch's Council Engagement Advisor Jim Candiliotis.

Mr Candiliotis says he is appalled that Hamilton City Council spent so much on producing the brand in the first place and - even though Council branding seems to be de rigueur in the local government sector - it isn't a use of ratepayers money that is even remotely acceptable.

"$700,000 is a significant amount of money and represents a considerable chunk of funds that could have been used for purposes more aligned to core services," says Candiliotis, "At the very least it could have been used to retire debt or fund essential maintenance of rural roads - something many Councils have struggled with over the past few years."

Jim Candiliotis is also concerned by the unprecedented move by the Hamilton City Council to openly threaten legal action against another Council.

"That they have even paid a lawyer for advice over this is utterly bewildering. Does CEO Michael Redman think he can just waste public funds like this? What on earth do the ratepayers of Hamilton think happens to the tens of millions of dollars that pours into Hamilton City Council's coffers each year?"

"Will Mr Redman have the same attitude when he takes up his senior role at Auckland Council at the end of this week?"

Mr Candiliotis has called on the Minister of Local Government to intervene urgently and put a stop to the rhetoric before it further damages public confidence in the local government sector. He says the new Mayor should call Michael Redman and his senior staff to account for the profligate use of public funds to fuel a parochial battle over trivial marketing activity.

"This is not money being used to protect an important Council asset, as the spin doctors are likely to say: it is throwing good money after bad and it must stop now!"