Draft plan put to Ruapehu councillors

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 487, 25 May 1993, Page 10

Draft plan put to Ruapehu councillors

A comprehensive Draft Strategic Plan was presented to Ruapehu District Council councillors by district planners Jeff Page and Jane Whyte when Council held their monthly meeting in Taumarunui last Friday. The purpose of the document which becomes operative from 1 July 1993 is to promote an environment which is both sustainable and enhances the quality of life and meets the needs of the present and future Ruapehu community. Topics covered include: democracy; social policy, advocacy; recreation and sport; employment development; corporate culture; promotion and marketing; district land transport; district drainage; district water supply; district refuse management; parks and community facilities; and community welfare. The district planners were complimented by all councillors for their preparation of the report. Cr Ellen Gould said that the report was of the utmost importance to Community Boards who should be given an opportunity to discuss it. Cr Joe Murphy said

that communication of the contents of such a document was always a problem in small isolated communities with most social activity and intercourse centring round the local club which is often the only place to discuss social issues. Cr Murphy explained that is the only reason why he is sometimes seen in one of the local clubs. On the subject of employment, councillors felt that it was the role and responsibility of central government and not local authority though they did endorse the report's recommendation that the Ruapehu District Council should encourage and/or implement employment development schemes of other agencies where it can be shown that there is significant benefit to the community and the council. On the subject of roads within the district, mayor Garrick Workman said that he had recently attended a tourism forum in Wellington where the focus had been on roads showing tourist potential such as the RaetihiPipiriki road. Cr Bob Peck said that

any possibility of having the Raetihi- Pipiriki road sealed was "beyond our wildest dreams". Mayor Workman responded by saying that: "you could have said that about the Ohakune Mountain Road 10 years ago" to which Cr Peck replied: "I could have but I didn't". Councillors noted the increased number of cycling tourists using the district's roads with more already being seen on the back-block rural roads and suggested that this phenomenon be given some attention as it was likely to increase even further. When it came to the subject of district water

supplies councillors questioned whether it was good enough to merely set a standard of potable (drinkable) water. Cr Tony Hawkins said that as far as his experience in the Army was concerned, the term 'potable' meant a sterilisation pill dropped into dirty water and then filtered through an old sock. Mayor Workman agreed that Council should aim for the highest possible standards of drinking water throughout the district saying that he would like to see water of the quality of Ohakune 's flow through the water supply system of all other urban areas.