Pruned budget sought

Press, 26 February 1981, Page 4

Pruned budget sought

Big cuts in the proposed regional planning budget were sought yesterday by Canterbury United Council members. Some budget critics said it would not hurt to reduce staff, or at least the maximum . number of planners allowed. Ap earlier move by Cr Ellen Gardiner to have the regional planning section disbanded was heavily defeated, but other members said ' they were displeased with the big increase — from $474,190 to $631,300 — being, asked for planning, a mandatory United Council function. < . /

• The/ planning committee chairman, Mr ' D. B. "Rich, said /that any cuts would mean; reducing a work programme that the' council had already approved. £ • Thd •-increase;: had. been brought- about largely _ by cost of living salary adjustments. for the staff. There would be no extra staff. > “This'will b.eia factor, in all local government estimates . this year.” Whether you like it or /not, -that is

the system,” he said. Planning services would not be increased. Cr Rex Lester said he would move for a $lOO,OOO reduction in the budget if it was not taken back by the regional planning committee and pruned there. He said the United Council’s image was already not good, either in the community at large or among local authorities. There should be a maximum of 20 staff members, not 22.

Cr Vicki Buck said the proposed increase — about 29 per cent — was “way;beyond any district rate.; increase” that.would: arise this year, and-at was; “completely unacceptable.” She’ could not see how.iTqcal .bodies .were getting value for money./-/ Sir Terence McCoombs said that a decision on the maximum .. . staff. establishment should ’’perhaps wait until a new. planning .director thad been appointed later this ■ year, after the retirement of Mr G. B. Millaf at the end of July. /a ’ Mr /Millar/has . been '/the director- since Regional plan-

ning started in Christchurch. Vacant staff , places “should be filled only after an adequate inquiry,” Sir Terence said. Cr R. W. J; Harrington said that councillors were now saying openly that they were not happy with* regional planning, something they had been saying guardedly for years. But Cr T. J. Brocherie said the budget should go first to local bodies for their comments before asking the regional planning committee to make cuts.

The community had to pay for good planning, said Cr I. G. Clark. “There could be some minor, adjustments, but not tlie massive amount suggested by Cr Lester,” he said. Cr Hamish Hay said much of the United Council cost was caused by unrealistic boundaries between local authorities. Councillors were starting to see the price of the Government’s lack of stress ori territorial reform. Cr T. M. Inch said the regional planning committee

should be given concrete instructions on where to cut back. /

“Why fool around ■ with staff if what you are getting at is a policy' change?” he said. Cr Buck said that “a more realistic assessment” ; was heeded: “We get very little return from this organisation.” Under the proposal, the Christchurch City Council’s contribution to. the United Council would rise from $237,879 to $337,420. In her motion to disband the regional planning, section, Cr Gardiner said there was a lot of talk about 1 lack of growth in the region; “So what is the point in planning for it? The money would be better spent in getting the place going.” Cr W. J. Thompson said the regional planning staff was “becoming a burden bn the .ratepayer. Surely this planning expertise could be distributed throughout the country. We should either halve the staff and give them a watching brief on district schemes, or abandon •the section and start again.”-