AUTHORITY’S WORK

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31769, 28 August 1968, Page 7

AUTHORITY’S WORK

“Public Must Be Told”

All the work of the authority must be open to complete public information and criticism, said the chairman (Mr G. D. Griffiths), when council representatives argued, at a meetiny of the Christchurch Regional Planning Authority yesterday, that schemes submitted by the authority to councils should, initially. be discussed in committee.

It was not practicable for proposals to be submitted to the committees of the councils before the authority had made the proposals, said Mr Griffiths. There was ready communication between council and authority officers before proposals were arrived at

The authority, with some dissent agreed to tell the City Council that it was not possible for it to refer likely proposals to councils for discussion in committees, but every opportunity would be taken to have authority officers attend council meetings.

The discussion was started by Cr G. D Hattaway (City Council), who said that in the normal way, the authority's proposals came to councils, and, if they disagreed, the councils had no alternative but to go to the Town and Country Planning Appeal Board, which cost a lot of money. “Local Fetishes” “If. we were reasonable men. we could alter this, although it has been said that the law requires this procedure,” he said. Joint consultations before finality would be preferable. Mr Griffiths said that the authority, in its work for the good of the community, was advised by skilled staff. Sometimes, this advice required local fetishes to be thrown away. A dispute could be settled by the appeal board, or by an arbitrator, but before taking this course, councils should check and re-check the authority’s decision. “If a compromise is necessary, let other people decide.” said Mr Griffiths.

Cr A. Y. Shuker (Paparua County) suggested that the authority's plans could be approved in principle, discussed by councils, and then reviewed.

The Director of Planning (Mr C. B. Millar) said the authority should not adjudiciate on its own proposals. “Any change in the system would make difficulties for the staff to prepare reports with Intellectual honesty and integrity,” said Dr W. R. Holmes.