United Council a ‘monster’

Press, 30 March 1983, Page 19

United Council a ‘monster’

The Canterbury United Council’s regional planning committee was becoming a “bureaucratic monster” and should be examined, the finance committee of the Paparua County Council has been told. The committee was discussing a letter sent to all councils from the Cheviot County Council, which questioned the money spent in regional planning each year. Cr A; J. Silke told the meeting on Monday that Paparua was paying for any planning tribunal, and financing the United Council’s objections to their proposals. __________

“Our council is coming up with a decision, the United Council is opposing it, we are found to be right, yet we are carrying the can for both sides,” he said. The United Council’s estimates for the 1983-1984 financial year were before the committee for approval. In the letter from the Cheviot County Council, the County Clerk, Mr V. B. Nois, suggested a restructuring of the regional planning section of the United Council. “When our council sees the United Council’s increased budget and evaluates the benefits in our region, we are becoming increasingly unhappy,” he said.

“It was unfortunate that when the United Council was formed, there was already a regional planning body in existence which was taken over and absorbed in the new council.” Mr Vois said the salaries bill of >500,000 was "quite unacceptable” and that three or four planners could cope with the work that was really necessary, concentrating on the Issues of “true regional importance.” “The Cheviot County Council believes the United Council will not function as it was meant to function

and will not move into new areas of responsibility when there is so much concern about its cost structure.” The chairman, of the Paparua finance committee, Cr E. C. Britnall, who is also on the United Council’s regional planning committee, said that regional planning was well bn the way to being completed when the United Council was formed. “The only outstanding matter is the inquiry with regard to houses in the Green Belt,” he said. j “Canterbury is performing its function in regional planning very well.-1 am critical of some aspects but I feel that generally speaking we are doing a good job.” Cr D. R. Shipley said his sympathies lay with Cheviot. “It seems to me that all regional planning is, is reKrts,” he said. “I want to ow what is happening to all. these reports.” “It is turning into a paper

war — you get so carried away with big long reports, with lots of staff to do them. There is nothing left but stuff to read.” The committee resolved to accept the proposed budget for the next financial year, in which Paparua would pay 155,813 towards regional planning. Cr Britnell said they could not attack the United Council on such a broad aspect; specific points would need to be pinned down by councillors first.