A spat between Mayor Stuart Crosby and Village Radio board member Bonnie Leonard is the only negative note in an otherwise positive picture, according to the mayor.

Words were spoken between the two at a meeting on Thursday where Stuart and councillors and staff delivered the council's ‘six point plan' to re-vitalise the village.

The intention is to develop the village into a place that welcomes a wide range of community groups and also offers an active trading and visitor experience.

The plan looks at options including the retail side desire for seven-day trading, which has been an issue, because it is not open on weekends.

Also on the council list is asset management, maintaining the village in a planned and affordable way that supports council objectives. Financial sustainability, which is what the village is doing at the moment, is also on the list.

There are also options for the future use of the land at the top end of the village, and the future management structure of the village.

Stuart says the plan as presented to tenants and stakeholders was well received by the villagers – apart from Village Radio.

'They were well received to the point they are going to get together and present a view to council on those points,” says Stuart.

He told Bonnie Leonard at the meeting, and still maintains, that Village Radio's problems are Village Radio problems.

'They have gone though several committees and they need to get their act together,” says Stuart.

'I would have met four different committees in the last six years. I have always offered to help as we can.”

The most recent Village Radio Trust chairman, Colin Beere, has left, says Stuart.

'And before that there were several other good people who have all left, and you need to ask yourself why they have left.”

Colin Beere says he left because he's too busy at Avalon Industries.

What's crippling Village Radio is the rent they are paying to council on a donated building.

In addition to rent, Village Radio faces licensing fees and operational costs.

It costs at least $12,000 to run and its money that is hard to find for a voluntary organisation, says Colin.

It is also hard because of the way Village Radio must run. It can't have commercials, it can't operate outside daylight hours – and on top of that village management require them to operate below full power during the week because the transmitter interferes with the village phones. On the weekend it can be heard from Katikati to Te Puke.

'During the week they don't allow us to run on full power and all those people miss out,” says Colin. 'So they restrict our revenue.

'Everybody else in the village they get subsidised rent from government grants. Because they are social services they get their rent paid for them, and they can sit out on their balconies and smoke.

'It will have to close really unless we can get that rent knocked off. We've asked for this, but it's really a principle now, council have got to work out what they are going to do.”

Read Village Radio board member Bonnie Leonard's view here.