Ruapehu backs regional Council

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 387, 21 May 1991, Page 3

Ruapehu backs

regional Council

The Ruapehu District Council has decided to support the present regional council system and the Manawata Wanganui regional Council.

At the council's last meeting representatives of the MWRC spoke to the RDC, outlining its role and costs to Ruapehu ratepayers. Ruapehu mayor Garrick Workman said this district received about $1.3 million in services, mainly in possum eradication work and pinus contorta control, while only $800,000 in regional council rates are collected from the district. Most of the shortfall is collected from the southern districts, but they were concerned to contain the possum/TB problem in the north so were happy to help pay towards its costs. MWRC chairman Don Linklater said the council saw the TB/possum battle as essential with » such a large part of the 'region's economic wealth dependant on the meat industry. He said the council is spending money not only on containing the problem but on research into eventual eradication. Mr Linklater told the meeting the regional councils were cost effective and that the government's review of the Ladies Golf Results from 15 May: 2nd Windle Mem Par Winner, H. Woollett 4 up; Twos, H. Woollett; Three's, V. Parkes. Raffle, P. Matthews. Reductions, H. Woollett, 28-27.

system was not logical. He said out of each $100 in ratepayer's pockets, $2.30 goes to local government, $41.00 to central government and 20 cents to regional government. "It lacks logic for the guys who are costing you $41 to say he's going to save you money

by knocking out the guy who's costing you 20 cents," said Mr Linklater. The council had been presented a report by its town planning officer which by-and-large said that territorial councils (eg the RDC) could carry out almost all of the functions of the regional council. However the RDC decided against submitting the report to the regional council review. A