An attempt to fast-track progress on a South Dunedin library was defeated amid testy exchanges during the Dunedin City Council's annual plan deliberations yesterday.
Cr Teresa Stevenson repeatedly argued for the project to be pursued with greater haste, after calls for more action by submitters during last week's annual plan hearings.
The council had budgeted $26 million for library redevelopment work in Dunedin, including a new South Dunedin branch, in 2011/12.
However, Cr Stevenson said she wanted to see more progress towards the identification and purchase of an appropriate site for a South Dunedin branch.
After several interjections and attempts to argue her case, she was eventually warned by a frustrated Mayor Peter Chin to "stop nuttering all the time".
Council chief executive Jim Harland then suggested Cr Stevenson put her argument to a vote.
She did, suggesting fast-tracking the work be referred to a council committee, but failed to win the support of a single other councillor.
Earlier, Cr Richard Walls, discussing last week's library submissions, said a new branch would not be the "magic bullet" helping boost foot traffic in South Dunedin that some businesses in the area expected.
Crs Dave Cull and Kate Wilson believed it was appropriate to consider any new library branch alongside other initiatives to be discussed for South Dunedin, including, Cr Cull said, what to do with Carisbrook.
Cr Harland said money included in the council's long-term council community plan (LTCCP) showed councillors' intentions to develop a library in South Dunedin, although the funding was not a binding agreement.
The failed attempt meant the new library branch would be progressed as planned, with staff indicating they were continuing investigations for a suitable site.
