One Waiouru - Waimarino ward suggested

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 8, Issue 375, 26 February 1991, Page 3

One Waiouru - Waimarino ward suggested

Ruapehu District's election system is to be reviewed with one proposal being that the ward system be reduced to three and the number of councillors be reduced from 14 to 10.

That system is favoured by Mayor Garrick Workman, who sees as a solution to the problems facing the council the formation of one southern Ruapehu ward, one Taumarunui rural ward and one Taumarunui urban ward. To fit the legislation covering ward representation and community boards there has to be changes, the Waimarino Community Board was told at their last meeting. They were told that while Waimarino's numbers were exactly right, Waiouru had too few councillors. Shifting the boundaries to fix the problem would mean the Waiouru- Waimarino boundary would be either down the main street of Waiouru, or just outside the Ohakune township. This would also lead to a shift in the National Park - Waimarino boundary. "If Waiouru and Waimarino stay separate the boundaries have to change," said council general manager Cliff Houston. "Something has to happen to Waiouru before the next election."

The proposal the Mayor favours fits arithmetically but relies on wards such as Waiouru and Waimarino agreeing to amalgamate. Reluctant Most Waimarino board members were initially reluctant to entertain the idea of amalgamating with Waiouru. Board member Bruce Thompson said Waiouru and Waimarino could make strange bedfellows. "Many of us don't know Waiouru - their community has its own specific interests," he said. Cr Doug Bennett said the idea was three years too early, that the community boards were starting to work now. "I would like to see the

community board and ward system carry on through the next election," he said. "I'm a great believer in the old riding system where you know the representative from your area and I'm opposed to electing council at large." (referring to the option of having no wards with the whole district voting for all councillors). Experienced Cr Ellen Gould said the merger could have advantages for the Waiouru people in that they had little experience of local government while there was ample in the Waimarino. She said she was concerned at the cost of the present system, and that people were concerned at the level of their rates. The board heard that polling in Waiouru was very low at the last election and some board members expressed concern that if Waiouru were

amalgamated with Waimarino, interest in council matters from Waiouru would diminish. Some board members felt with so few functions carried out in Waiouru by council (the Army provides most services under contract), the interest is already low. "I can see no reason why, if someone is interested, they can't get out and sell themselyes to the voting public," said Mayor Workman referring to Waiouru residents gaining election in a combined southern ward. "And there is nothing stopping them from forming a Waiouru community committee." - The council general manager, in presenting his report on the matter, said there were a number of questions the Waimarino board had to ask itself: are community boards necessary in all parts of the district?;

is the option of nonstatutory community committees worth while?; is the relationship between boards and the council good?; are there any possible areas for improvement? Expensive Mayor Workman said there was no doubt that the only community board with a reasonable workload was Waimarino's but that the system was very expensive. He said it could be that the northern towns such as Owhango, National Park, Ohura as well as Waiouru would be better served by community committees. Also, the number of board meetings was too much for council officers to cover so some ran without that support. The board was also asked to discuss the relationship between residents, boards and the council. "This is the level that

management get the feeling of what people really want and I find there is a lot'of interest in this level," said Cr Bennett. "What frustrates me compared to the old system is that if someone approaches me about a council matter I can't

give them an answer," said Mr Thompson. "I have to refer them to others in the council management." "Most bullets get fired through the news media instead of coming to talk to us about their problems," said board chairman Colin Webb,