Ohakune Mayor Questions Composition of Community College

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 3, 21 June 1983, Page 7

Ohakune Mayor Questions Composition of Community College

The establishment of a Community College for the Wanganui Region signifies a major achievement. It must be stressed that the facility, as it will be established, should reflect the needs of the region. In this respect, the composition of the Council governing the institution is of great importance. Tentative proposals scarcely are regionally representative and are more than a little flawed in their heavy weighting towards representation from secondary school boards of governors. If the Community College is to be

seen as an adjunct of secondary education or a further form of the same, then, this is clearly acceptable. If however, as I believe, it represents a form of further, continuing, secondchance or even later-in-life education then such a method of choosing a governing council is unacceptable and hardly representative of the wider community. While sectional needs get representation it is most noteworthy that, in the proposal, one joint representative only is allowed for from the Wanganui City

Council and the Wanganui United Council. Is this the sole local authority input desirable? There must be a more satisfactory method of choosing a Council; why not direct election on a Ward System along the lines of Hospital Board or Electricity supply authority, It is also noted that, peculiarly, no representation at all is suggested for the pre-eminent education authority within the region; the Wanganui Education Board. The establishment of a Community College is too

important an event and of too great a meaning to all of us within the region to allow for this aspect of its organisation to go unchallenged. Statement:

W.

Taylor

Mayor, Ohakune