Meetings back in fashion

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 238, 5 April 1988, Page 1

Meetings back in fashion

Waimarino District Councillors elect have decided to establish a committee structure to handle council decision making. This decision overturns an earlier recommendation from the steering committee to deal with council business at one full council meeting per month. The subject was discussed at length at a meeting of the new councillors held Wednesday March 30. The meeting was arranged by the three amalgamating authorities primarily to discuss the proposed regional government reform. While the council had not been officially sworn in they were acting as the council steering committee as appointed by the three councils. District Manager John Murrihy has recommended the council do away with the committee structure

on the grounds that it wastes time. He said all councillors should know what is going on in all spheres of council activity in all geographical areas. "You may be aware of your own areas at present but you need to

know all areas," said Mr Murrihy. He said many committee meetings at present are very short, in some cases ten minutes to half an hour. Much of the discussion at committee meetings was repeated

at the full council meetings, where committee decisions must be ratified. Mr Murrihy was adamant the system of supplying councillors prior to a monthly meeting with full reTurn p.13

Meetings back in fashion

From P.1 ports including recommendations would work. He also said oouncil could hold more than one full council meeting per month if need be. Councillor elect Errol Sue asked how long Mr Murrihy thought the full council meetings would run under the system he recommended. Mr Murrihy said the

three councils had spent more than 17 hours in the past month at meetings but that the business could be handled in one meeting. "You're condensing 17 hours into three," said Cr elect Errol Sue. Cr Sue agreed with Mr Murrihy that all councillors should be present at committee meetings but said more time was a good thing for decision making. "Tf you allow time to

digest and debate the issues then you get the best out of your councillors," said Cr Sue. "Under my scenario the worst possible case you can have is four meetings a month which is what you have anyway," said Mr Murrihy. "But I don't believe it will take that long." A number of councillors said committee meetings were more re-

laxed, with open discussion. "You can be a informal as you like (in a full council meeting). It's totally up to council," said Mr Murrihy. Cr elect Bruce Thompson asked the two town clerks if they thought the council would get through the work. Ohakune Town Clerk Mrs Edith Moore said yes. Raetihi and Waimarino Town Clerk Mrs Hope Vaughan said no, that councillors had a lot to learn initially. Cr elect Gould suggested a second meeting be scheduled to handle business carried over from the main meeting. Councillors generally agreed that all councillors needed to be at all meetings. Mayor elect Garrick Workman said he felt it was beneficial to discuss an issue with time to change views if necessary between a committee meeting and the full council meeting. Mr Workman said a motion would have to be put to the meeting and carried to change the original decision to scrap committee meetings. Councillor elect Dave Griffiths moved to reestablish the committee structure. Councillor elect Ellen Gould asked if the committee meetings could all be held on the same night. Cr Griffiths said he couldn't see why councillors couldn't specialise and why it would be necessary for a councillor to attend all committee meetings. The motion was carried.