Pipiriki board idea finds little favour

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 15, Issue 690, 10 June 1997, Page 4

Pipiriki board idea finds little favour

Pipiriki' s approach to the council, ask ingthatacommunity board be established for the hamlet, received no support during the Waimarino Community Board' s debate on the review of community boards last Thursday. While no decision was made at the meeting, from the direction the debate took regarding reducing the southern wards' boards

from two to one, it was clear that the board did not support the establishment of a new community board for Pipiriki. A steering group has been formed to establish a coun-cil-funded community board for Pipiriki, led by resident Dennis McDonnell. "We wish to place oursClves in a position with council of being more proaetive and less reactive to mutual matters of eoneern in a way that enables us to exert our tino rangatiratanga and give effect to the Treaty of Waitangi," stated Mr McDonnell in a letter to the council. "While this board will not be mandated to deal with any land related issues, we do have a mutual concern through whakapapa, keeping close contact with the Pipiriki Ineorporation Management Committee," he stated. Some felt that if Pipiriki people felt the need for their own board, then the board was not doing its job. Chairman Colin Webb

said he could not remember any approach or submission on any issue from Pipiriki. "Pipiriki people have the right to come forward at any time to put an issue on the agenda," said member Gary Rawnsley. Mr Compton said they could appoint representatives and suggested this could help Pipiriki. "We have to be careful making a special case of Pipiriki, considering the number of other small communities, such as Rangataua, Katieke, Owhango," said Mr Webb.