Regional task force visits region

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 11, 6 August 1985, Page 3

Regional task force visits region

Paying a visit to the region this week was a regional government task force which met representatives of the Ohakune and Raetihi borough councils and the Waimarino County Council.

The task force consisted of David Smith and Simon Johnston of the local government division of Internal Affairs, Lindsay Gow, a divisional planner in the town and country planning division of the Ministry of Works and

Development and Wanganui City Council town clerk and principal officer of the Wanganui United Council, Colin Whitlock. At the meeting with Ohakune Borough Council, councillors were asked for their views on regional

development, including the role of the Wanganui United Council. Mr Smith said the task force was "here to listen and learn and to find out what the council thinks the Wanganui United Council should be doing." Mayor Bill Taylor, Waimarino's representative on the United Council, said that with an annual budget of $60,000 it was difficult for the council to accomplish much. "A United Council should take everything under its wing — education, health, MWD, etc." he said. Cr Bully Hays said the United Council should do more to "sell itself." Cr Snow Brannigan said he believed Ohakune would be better served as part of a

central plateau regional council. Cr Margaret Horne stated that although there was an historic and sentimental link with Wanganui, Ohakune's interests lay with the central plateau region. But Mayor Taylor stated that although he agreed a central plateau regional council was a good idea, he thought the population base might be too small to support one. Mayor Taylor added that the Wanganui United Council, with its rural-urban mix, was in a difficult position, as the two groups had differing views on the body's role. He concluded that the Ohakune Borough Council had not endeavoured to use the United Council, preferring instead to make its own decisions.