Grass Roots

Mid-September in Arcadia Waters Council and it's only days to the local government elections. The mayor of Arcadia Waters, Col Dunkley, has a few problems.

Col Dunkley has made it back onto the council, but in the race to be Mayor, Col must win the vote of the newly elected and genuinely independent Karin Schumaker.

There are more big dreams, bold plans and shady deals underway as we follow a year in the life of the Arcadia Waters Council. Col Dunkley and his faction celebrate their win and talk about Col's vision for the year ahead.

When entrepreneur Max Werring tells Col he can get Dame Kiri Te Kanawa for the Arcadia Waters Festival, Col's grand plan to put Arcadia Waters on the cultural map looks as though it is about to be realised.

At a secret meeting with Marilyn Hennessy, Greg tells her that he's going to support Col in every silly plan he has for as long as it takes to get Council to agree to sell its childcare service to her.

When Col refuses any more financial support to Harry's run down bowling club, Harry feels he has no alternative than to talk to the men-in-suits from the Business Club.

It's been a bad day for Liz. Her childcare workers haven't received their payout cheques, an angry parent claims that his daughter has been corrupted while on work experience, and Greg is threatening to cut her staff down even more.

Col spends most of the year working in secret with property tycoon Morgan Bartok to prepare a visionary plan for the development of a scrubby, neglected headland.