Few changes to Ruapehu scheme

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 272, 31 January 1989, Page 1

Few changes to Ruapehu scheme

The Ruapehu District is a major step closer to becoming a reality with the release of the Local Government Commission's Draft Reorganisation Scheme.

Ruapehu District remains largely the same as in the commission's indicative proposal released last year, with the changes being the inclusion of Irirangi in the district and Waiouru being a separate ward. Service centres For the Waimarino a major concern in the scheme has been the provision of service centres. The Commission's map of the district shows just one service centre, in Ohakune, and the district administration centre, in Taumarunui. Raetihi and Waiouru, which both were understood to be pro- . vided with service centres, are not mentioned. The scheme states that "the Commission has also provided that

a service dclivery centre be established iri Ohakune." At last week's WDC full council meeting Mayor Workman said that in the indicative proposal a service centre was proposed for Raetihi. While he was in favour of a service centre in Waiouru, he stressed that "a service centre in Raetihi should, most definitely, be established." Within the memorandum from the Commission on draft reorganisation schemes is the statement: "service centres convcnient to the citizens should be an important feature of the new local government system." Further, it states that "if no provision for service centres is made in the final schemes,

councils should consider the advantages of establishing such centres where there is justification."

The number and location of service centres would have to be balanced against cost, said the memo-

randum. Also, that the balancing of cost against convenience should be "the responTurnpage2

Scheme released

From page 1 sibility of the elected council and not the Commission." Ward committees Councillors discussed why Waiouru and the Waimarino were to have ward committees while the three northern wards were not. Mayor Workman suggested it was because the two were further from the administration centre. Scheme delay "I was a little concerned at the method they (the Commission) made the scheme available to us," said Mayor Workman. He said Taumarunui's mayor got a copy on the previous Friday, Wanganui got their's on Tuesday and the Waimarino District Council received one copy on Wednesday morning.

Mayor Workman said it was difficult for the council to make public comment on the scheme when they had so little time to review it. Cr John Compton expressed disgust at the delay in the Commission's release of the scheme. He said it was due "a month ago" and the delay meant the council had "no room to sparc" in putting togethcr final submissions. "It's bureaucracy gone mad. There is no democracy," said Cr Compton. Ward representation The ward representation for the Waimarino and Waiouru was questioned by the WDC. Waiouru and the Waimarino are given three ward representatives each. Mayor Workman said "It may

well be that this council will decide to seek greater representation." Waimarino meeting The council finally decided to hold a special meeting in February to discuss the scheme in time for a meeting in Palmerston North with the Local Government Commission. Mountains confusion The scheme as released last week does not include detailed maps of the district, which has lead to confusion over which district the Tongariro mountains fall into. The memorandum section of ihe Waikato Region scheme statcs that Taupo District will include Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu. But the accompanying map shows Mt Ruapehu within the Ruapehu District. In the ManawatuWanganui scheme the Commission states that the mountains of the central plateau are within the Ruapehu District. But the scheme's map hints that the mountains are out of the District, with the names of the peaks outside the boundary.