''The council tends to live in a parallel universe which is not quite real. Council needs to work with the business sector to keep their vision real,'' he told the board.
Mr Millis is an Alexandra businessman who was elected to the board at the last election but did not win a council seat.
He used his member's report at yesterday's board meeting to outline a series of complaints and questions, most relating to the council's waste management strategy and its policy on development and financial contributions.
The purchase of the Eden Hore fashion collection, the ''World of Difference'' branding and legal costs in the battle over Meridian Energy's Project Hayes wind farm were ''just a few items of wasted expenditure'' by the council, he said.
Mr Millis said developers should be encouraged by the council.
Council corporate services manager Susan Finlay said some rates remissions for developers had been introduced.
Central Otago Mayor Tony Lepper said the council's development and financial contribution policy had been ''well-debated'' in the past.
''We always end up saying, why should the cost of new development fall on ratepayers - why shouldn't it fall on the person creating the demand for new or upgraded infrastructure?''
