United Council to be debated

Press, 28 October 1982, Page 1

United Council to be debated

The Canterbury United Council’s most important issue — whether to seek its own replacement by a directly elected regional council — will be debated next month.

In a surprise move yesterday, Sir Hamish Hay sought the debate. He said he hoped that a decision could be made that would allow transformation to an elected council at next October’s localbody elections.

The United Council is composed of representatives appointed by member local bodies. Sir Hamish's move went beyond yesterday's discussion of how the council could give itself limited autonomy under existing legislation, but the idea of an elected council was raised earlier this year.

Under the Local Government Act. a regional council proposal can be initiated by the United Council. The Local Government Commission must study such a proposal and determine how much local support there is for it. Even if all North Canterbury local bodies agreed that a regional council was a good idea, there might not be enough time left to take all the necessary steps before the next local body elections. Sir Hamish said it was worth a try. The United Council’s soulsearching about how to be most effective continued yesterday. A special meeting will be held next month to hammer out a specific issue; or issues, on which

councillors could campaign and become more publicly visible. Cr Rex Lester said the issue selected should be simple and capable of achievement “relatively quickly — it has got to be quick, simple, and effective.” "It would be difficult for an outsider to..relate to the United Council now, because planning is an intangible thing,” said Cr Vicki Buck. A specific project might centre on job creation in tourism or farm work training, or on some farming issue. “We should be trying to attract more job-creating development,” said Sir Hamish. “If we were seen to be actively supporting tourism and airport use. for instance, it would improve our image.” The council agreed with its chairman, Cr Clutha Mackenzie, that all Canterbury bodies with a regional perspective should be asked for their objectives. Those could be analysed along with the United Council’s own goals, and a regional forum could help pinpoint specific campaign issues. But the council will seek a legal opinion on a first restructuring step that could take the United Council out from under the administrative wing of the Christchurch Citv Council.

That step was suggested by the Principal Officer, Mr J. H. Gray, who is also General Manager and’Town Clerk of the administering City Council. The legal study will show

whether the United Council could become its own employer under existing legislation. Unions will be consulted on that issue.

Another part of the study will show whether Mr Gray could delegate his powers to a separate chief executive officer appointed by the United Council.

Mr Gray said he thought the Local Government Commission might agree that such changes could be made because Canterbury was a special case, “if only for its size. I think the climate is there for a liberal interpretation of the rules.” Museum After a short debate, the United Council confirmed its earlier decision to accept the Canterbury Museum Trust Board’s wish to remain on its own. instead of coming under council administration. Sir Hamish, the museum board's chairman, said the timing of a new move to take over the museum would be totally wrong. “If we look for credibility by taking over the museum, I think we would be choosing the wrong vehicle," he said. Such a transfer might come in time.

Under that legislation, local body membership on the museum board would be strengthened. Nine of the board’s 15 members would come from Canterbury local bodies, and could give them more influence over future museum funding requirements.