Waimarino Board to fight Council on committees idea

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 412, 12 November 1991, Page 1

Waimarino Board to fight Council on committees idea

The Waimarino Community Board is to appeal the Ruapehu District Council's decision to scrap boards and replace them with non-statutory community committees. The Council's decision was made last month after about 12 months of deliberation over the future structure of community boards in the district, but the boards have the right to appeal to the Local Govemment Commission who will arbitrate the matter. The decision of the council was rejected by six members of the board, two of whom are also councillors. Board member and councillor Ellen Gould was in favour of the council's action. Under the proposal all boards in the dis-

trict would be scrapped and community committees set up where people wanted them. Members would be elected from public meetings and would be unpaid. Member Bruce Thompson said it was a very sad day when the boards were scrapped. He said he felt the board s were restricted in the activities. "I do feel there is so much more that we could do but we are not given the opportunity," said Mr Thompson. Member John Compton said he felt the matter should be taken to the people of the community by way of a referendum. He said the amalgamation was thrust upon the community and it was about time people were given a say as to what they wanted. "I don't like the idea of community com-

mittees," said member Winston Oliver. "It would be a toothless tiger." He said the board was made up of elected representatives who had a right to council information and that the council had a statutory responsibility to supply it. They also had the right to ask questions of council officers. But community committees, as non statutory bodies, would not have those powers and would in essence be "ratepayer associations." "The main topic of conversation among people I meet is 'the Taumarunui Council' and local people don't like it," said Mr Oliver. "I think it is a bit premature, maybe down the track a bit it might be a good idea." Mrs Gould said many of the Waimarino 1'urn page 11

Board fight

Fro'm page 1 Community Board members should be on council - that they had the ability and experience. "I don't feel we've really been addressing the issues we should be - we're not a mini council," said Mrs Gould. "We really are acting as a mini works committee which is not our role." She said there were people in the community who would make a contribution through a community committee but would not stand for election. "I was in favour of combined community boards," said councillor and board member Doug Bennett. "I find it very informative at community board meetings. "We've only been going two years - it wants a bit longer to find our place. We've all been councillors (in the past) and looking at it from different points of view - maybe new people would come to grips with what the community boards should be doing. "A lot of what Ellen is saying could be taken care of with more imaginative agendas." Member and councillor Bill Peach said he believed an interface between the community and the district council would be missing if boards were scrapped. "You would never get through a community committee meeting in a decent time," he said. Council general manager said boards had no financial responsibility and fulfilled an advisory role as would community committees. Mrs Gould said cost was not a primary concern but that the community committee proposal would be considerably cheaper. Boards presently were listed as costing $173,000 across the district and Mr Houston has earlier estimated the community committee option to cost about half that of north/south ward committees ($77,500). "I am quite happy to attend meetings for nothing if cost is such an important matter," said Mr Oliver. Mrs Gould said it would not be fair to not pay board members because others who could not afford it would not be able to stand for election. Board chairman Colin Webb said there would be people who could not afford to travel to attend community committee meetings. "So you won't get the correct representation anyway." Mr Compton suggested a petition be launched to gauge support for the board, and include it with a submission to the Local Government Commission.