REGIONAL PLANNING AUTHORITY

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27466, 28 September 1954, Page 14

REGIONAL PLANNING AUTHORITY

Chairman Resigns At End Of Meeting

Although the new Christchurch Regional Planning Authority is now constituted, it is without a chairman. Mr W. S. Mac Gibbon, who was elected chairman at the first meeting, retired from the position at the end of yesterday’s meeting of the authority so that the members representing local bodies could decide in favour or otherwise of the validity of His election. The principle of the chairman of the City Council’s housing and town planning committee being also the chairman of the Regional Planning Authority was adopted in committee at last week’s meeting of the council. The council’s four representatives on the authority were amended to read: Crs. C. Baldwin (chairman of the housing and town planning committee), J. E. Jones, Mac Gibbon, and J. E. Tait. The validity of Mr Mac Gibbon’s appointment to the chairmanship was raised when the authority met yesterday. Submissions were made that the meeting at which he had been appointed had been called to discuss finance and that the City Council had not then decided on the personnel of its representation. Although the five Riccarton borough and county representatives supported Mr Mac Gibbon as chairman at the inaugural meeting, it appears likely that his name will not be submitted when the question of the chairmanship is raised again at the next meeting. Agreement has already been reached among the representatives on' the authority that the chairman should be a representative of the City Council. Because the decision of the council on the chairmanship being held by the chairman of the housing and town planning committee has not been accepted by Mr Mac Gibbon, a representative to replace him is certain to be proposed. The composition and organisation of the authority was discussed. A decision was made to ask the Lyttelton Borough Council to receive a deputation asking it to appoint a representative. Associate members will be: Christchurch Drainage and Transport Boards, North Canterbury Catchment, Hospital and Power Boards, Lyttelton Harbour Board and Canterbury Education Board; members of the old Christchurch Metropolitan Town Planning Committee; and experts appointed by the authority. The chairman of the authority will be ex officio a member of the wholly technical committee of representatives from the Christchurch City, Riccarton and the Halswell, Heathcote, Paparua and Waimairi counties, the Ministry of Works, the Lands and Survey Department, and the Christchurch Drainage Board. The technical committee will investigate and recommend on the collection of basic information, the integration of current work and the formulation of the regional scheme.

Nucleus of Staff The City Council has agreed to transfer to the Regional Authority Miss Nancy Northcroft (town planning officer) and Mr L. Dew, one of the draughtsmen in the council’s planning section. Mr J. Foster will remain with the council to deal with routine work and Miss Northcroft will be available for consultation when required. Two draughtsmen working for the City Council. on tire preparation of base maps will also be transferred, making a nucleus of four for the regional staff. A proposal to be investigated is that the technical staff be 10 to 12, and that a lawyer should be appointed as consultant to the authority. The Regional Authority will probably establish its office in the top floor of the building at 143 Worcester street known as the Unity Centre and owned by the City Council. The authority will pay rent to the council, which proposes to transfer a section of the traffic department to the ground floor of the building. Plans and specifications have been prepared for the conversion of 1500 square feet of space on the first floor for the authority and for the City Council’s planning officer dealing with day-to-day executive work for the council. It is considered desirable that the two planning officers be associated in this way as much of the material (maps, aerial photographs, etc.) needed will be common to both.