REGIONAL PLANNING Heathcote may pull out of authority

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32565, 26 March 1971, Page 10

REGIONAL PLANNING Heathcote may pull out of authority

Consideration is to be given to withdrawing from the Christchurch Regional Planning Authority by the Heathcote County Council, the council decided at its monthly meeting last evening.

Last month Cr J. Somers put a surprise motion that the council resign from the authority. After some discussion by the council, Cr Somers withdrew his motion, and the matter was referred to the town planning committee.

At yesterday’s meeting a report from the town planning committee said the suggestion of resigning from the authority had been considered and it was felt that it might have to be recommended that the council should resign, but that nothing should take place before June 30. As a first step, the chairman of the committee (Ct R. H. T. Thompson) should make a report on the authority to the Play meeting of the committee, said the report. It was suggested that the council should make its intentions known to the auth-

ority, and if any useful purpose could be served, the council would be prepared to receive representatives of the authority. The committee also recommended that the council should advise the Minister of Works of its intentions and ask for the interpretation of the council’s right of resignation from the authority. Not against planning Cr Thompson said last evening that he should make it clear that the council was not opposed to regional planning, but his report, which was a matter of some urgency, would make it clear to the "ratepayers and others what had driven the council to the point of withdrawing from the authority. He suggested the report be received and studied before

the matter was discussed at length. It appeared that such a situation had not arisen in New Zealand before, said Cr Thompson, and the Town and Country Planning Act was very vague on the question of withdrawal or resignation.

“This is an interesting situation where we have to move forward carefully but firmly. We are not working a bluff. Anyone who thinks so had better think again,” said Cr Thompson. Rubbish disposal Cr E. L. Tyndall moved that the county institute negotiations with other metropolitan local bodies to discuss the disposal of rubbish. The subject was brought up by Cr McKenzie who wanted some control of fires in the county’s dump.

Mr Scott said the fire was very near when burning of rubbish would have to cease and consideration would have to be given in next year’s estimates to acquiring machineiy to cover rubbish with spoil. Petrol tax

The council decided not to support the Christchurch Transport Board’s request that it be a participant in petrol tax revenue, but it agreed to slipport the board if representations were made to have public transport authorities exempted from the provisions of the Local Authorities (Petroleum Tax) Act. Stop sign.—The council agreed with a works committee recommendation to erect a stop sign in Curries Road at the intersection of Port Hills Road, but decided not to erect a stop sign on Port Hills Road at the intersection of Opawa Road where there is a give-way sign. Playground closing.—lt was agreed to close the Cashmere playground during the hours of darkness and a resolution to this effect was passed. Contract delay.—The council agreed to write to the Christchurch Drainage Board explaining that the sealing of a portion of the Port Hills Road shoulder was being delayed because the board’s contractor had not sealed sewer laterals. The council asked that immediate action be taken to complete the contract.

First payment.—The payment of the first contribution of $268 to the Canterbury Provincial Buildings Board was agreed to by the council. The County Clerk was asked to prepare a report on the contributions made by the council. The County Clerk was asked to prepare a report on the contributions made by the council to metropolitan projects, the report to be available to the May meeting of the finance committee.