Christchurch one-city stand strongly opposed

Press, 4 July 1985, Page 21

Christchurch one-city stand strongly opposed

Amalgamation is an issue on which Christchurch’s local councils have taken strong, and opposing, stands. “The Press” asked the chairmen of six councils the following questions about local government restructuring: ® Has your council a defined policy on reorganisation; if not, what is the council’s stand? © Could a larger council better serve your ratepayers? @ What advantages do you see in favour of small councils? @ Do you favour a solution worked out locally or one imposed from Wellington? ® What progress has been made towards a local solution? 9 What would amalgamation mean for your council’s employees? The Local Government Commission chairman, Brian Elwood, has suggested a five-year guarantee of employment for council employees after reorganisation. There is statutory provision for a two-year guarantee. Because of the likelihood of reorganisation, the Christchurch City Council is not replacing its assistant town clerk, who has resigned. The council is waiting to assess staff requirements after amalgamation. Christchurch City The Christchurch City Council has for years favoured the creation of one enlarged unit of local government which would administer all of urban metropolitan Christchurch. The boundaries would extend from the Waimakariri River in the north to the Port Hills in the south. Its western boundary would possibly take in the urban section of Paparua County Council. Careful consideration would have to be given to ensure adequate community and residential representation within that larger unity, says the Mayor, Sir Hamish Hay. The creation of community councils had been suggested, he adds, but these would require changes in legislation. The present ward system is the only legal option. All local authorities with a population of more than 70,000 must be divided into wards, each with less than 25,000 residents. Metropolitan Christchurch could be divided into 12 or 24 wards depending on whether a two-city or a one-city system is adopted. Sir Hamish does not want to discuss the advantages of an enlarged local government unit at this stage. The issue is very big and still in the throes of investigation, he says. “Progress is being made. I do not want to be provocative by making any

premature statement.” The city had supported the rationalisation of boundaries of metropolitan Christchurch for years. In the interest and wellbeing of the city, detailed information is being gathered and will be presented to the council, ratepayers, and other councils. So far, a sub-committee of city councillors has met with its counterparts in Waimairi District, Heathcote County, Riccarton Borough, and Paparua County. There has also been a lot of detailed deliberation at senior officer level between Waimairi District and City Council staff. They are examining the pros and cons of Christchurch city’s oneunit and Waimairi’s two-unit proposals. In discussion with Heathcote County Council, it was agreed that all senior council officers should get together to consider the implications of the merger proposals and rationalisations. The matter will require careful negotiation, but “I believe constructive progress is being made,” Sir Hamish says. Waimairi District Although Waimairi District Council has had a policy for years favouring three units of local government within metropolitan Christchurch, that policy has not been reviewed since 1977 at least. The district chairman, Mrs Margaret Murray, says that the council is in the midst of discussion about restructuring local government and is not restricting itself to any set view. Under the council’s three-unit policy, Paparua County would be retained as is in the south, and two units of local government would be created north of that, replacing Heathcote, Riccarton, Christchurch city, and Waimairi. The Waimairi District Council has been a very successful unit of local government, says Mrs Murray. It wants proof that one unit of local government would be better. Accordingly, it is discussing with the Christchurch City Council, at a councillor and staff level, on the advantages and disadvantages of a one or two-city concept (with Paparua County a third unit). The Port Hills, Waimakariri River, and Paparua County would form the boundaries of either structure. Mrs Murray says she would be surprised if one larger unit could provide a better service to ratepayers than that offered by Waimairi at present. The Waimairi district is a good size, large enough to be cost efficient, but not too large to be impersonal. . The relationship between resi-

dents and their council and council staff is an important consideration, she adds. The Manukau City Council — the country’s largest local authority — has tried to overcome the problems of size by creating four or five wards within it. Each has its own community centre, library, council yards, and service facilities; they are satellites of the larger unit. It is important for local authorities to resolve the restructuring issue for themselves, to consider the strengths and weaknesses of the alternative systems and come to some consensus. As well as the preparation of detailed information by Waimairi District and Christchurch City Council staff, a sub-committee has met with its counterparts in Riccarton and Paparua, and will be meeting with Heathcote. Not only is there diversity of opinion between the councils but it is also apparent within Waimairi District Council, says Mrs Murray. However, a decision on what happens must come from local consensus. “I do not want anyone to make a decision from

Wellington about what will happen to Waimairi people.” Heathcote County Heathcote County Council’s first choice in the reorganisation shuffle would be to amalgamate with all the local authorities on Banks Peninsula — Lyttelton, Mt Herbert, Wairewa, and Akaroa. Banks Peninsula is one of the most fragmented areas, according to the council’s chairman, Mr Oscar Alpers. Five councils administered an area smaller than the majority of single counties. The advantages of such an amalgamation would be that. Heathcote residents would retain a greater degree of independence than if just absorbed by a large metropolitan council. Such an amalgamated authority could have a system of district community councils, which would administer the affairs of particular areas such as the present Heathcote county. Depending on what happened with metropolitan Christchurch, however, it could be more appropriate to link up with Papurua County, says Mr Alpers, and

become one of its district councils. The optimum size for a local authority is between 20,000 and 30,000, he adds. It is large enough to justify a specialist staff and resources but not too big to be impersonal. An authority that size could still retain personal contact with its residents. If Heathcote was amalgamated as part of a larger metropolitan city, the ratio of residents to councillors would be 12,000 to one. At present, Heathcote residents enjoy a ratio of 1100 to one. Mr Alpers would prefer local councils to resolve the restructuring issue but believes there could be circumstances in which they might be glad of assistance from the Local Government Commission. So far his council has met with the Christchurch City Council and will be meeting with Paparua Council. Although discussions have been amicable, nothing has been agreed. Heathcote will also be meeting with the Banks Peninsula authorities to discuss possible amalgamation. The staff on all the councils still have a lot of work to do in

drawing up facts and figures before people could really know what the restructuring would mean. There has been a lot of rhetoric but few hard facts to support amalgamation, he says. Mr Alpers is skeptical about whether any consensus would be reached’ before the Local Government Commission’s deadline of October 1. It is a very tight schedule, he adds. The councils in metropolitan Christchurch have been given less than six months to come up with a restructured scheme. The present discussions and negotiations would probably result in better informed councils and some change of attitudes, but not necessarily in agreement. Lyttelton Borough Residents in the Lyttelton harbour basin could benefit from an amalgamation of Lyttelton Borough and Mt Herbert County, according to Lyttelton’s Mayor, Mr Mel Foster. Topographically, the area is well defined and would lend itself to amalgamation. The present layout of the two authorities is such that each council has to travel through the other’s territory to get to its own part. Although preliminary discussions on amalgamation have been held by the two councils, the issue still has to be investigated in depth, Mr Foster adds. Both councils would have to make the decision and the views of the residents should also be called for. Already the two councils used the same administrative staff. The clerk, district clerk, engineer, and building inspector from Lyttelton Borough also work for Mt Herbert County. Mr Foster does not envisage any form of amalgamation with the authorities on the other side of the Port Hills. There is no direct linkage between the two areas, he says. He is also wary of large councils; it has never been proved overseas that bigger is better. One of the main advantages of small councils is the easy communication and understanding between the residents, their representatives, and the council staff. Paparua County Papai ua County Councn is large enough, and has a sufficiently good mixture of urban, rural, and industrial development, to stay as it is, according to the county chairman, Mr Jack Pethig. The system of council — with its four "district councils focusing on Sockburn, Hornby, Halswell, and rural districts — works well. Because of the council’s policy

of maintaining the status quo, consideration has not been given to alternative restructuring at this stage, says Mr Pethig. A subcommittee comprising the four chairmen of the district councils has already met with its counterparts in Christchurch and Riccarton and will meet with Heathcote and Waimairi and outlying neighbours Ellesmere, Mt Herbert, and Malvern. The meetings give Paparua the opportunity to express its views and also listen to the views of its metropolitan neighbours, Mr Pethig adds. He expects the meetings will be over within the month and a full report made to the council. The council would then have to discuss whether Paparua was likely to remain as is or what alternative restructuring might have to take place. Any reform or local body reorganisation would have to be agreed on by the councils involved, says Mr Pethig. Otherwise there would be a lot of ill feeling from the start and little chance of success. Riccarton Borough Riccarton Borough Council sees no need to change its boundaries, but has had to reassess the situation in light of the Local Government Commission’s proposal, says the Mayor, Mr Richard Harrington. Riccarton residents would face little advantage under a larger council, Mr Harrington adds.

They would have less identity, a higher rate structure, and would be without the personal service they have enjoyed for the past 76 years. The community’s interests must be of paramount consideration, adds Mr Harrington. It is unfortunate that the public is not being consulted at this stage. Most of Riccarton’s residents would probably support the view of its council. The lack of public input is largely due to the way the issue has been dealt with by the Local Government Commission. Public opinion will be sought when a scheme has been proposed but “by then it will be too late.” Riccarton would rather see some resolution reached locally if one has to be reached, he says. However, in some ways he sees the call for restructuring as one that is being imposed anyway by the bureaucracy in Wellington. Riccarton councillors have been meeting with their counterparts on other councils and would hopefully come to some consensus of opinion, says Mr Harrington. It is difficult, however, as the various councils do not meet on any particular common ground with regard to restructuring. They still have a long way to go in discussion, adds Mr Harrington. Once talks have been completed on a one-to-one basis, all the councils should meet together.