Party to study Govt set-up

Press, 17 December 1985, Page 5

Party to study Govt set-up

A six-month study on regional government, local government and electricity supply will be done by the Christchurch City Council’s Local Government Working Party.

The party, which prepared the council’s submission to the Local Government Commission on local government reform in Christchurch, has recently been working on submissions on electricity distribution, also for the commission.

A response on electricity was sought by the commission’s chairman, Mr Brian Elwood, by Christmas. The party reported to the council last evening that it felt it should consider electricity within a regional setting since regional government is also being reappraised by central government. ♦

It recommended a study covering six areas. They are

all potential electricity distribution structures in order of preference, the commission’s proposal for local government reform expected early next year, electoral systems for regional functions based on the principle of representation by population, detailed electrical characteristics of the area and effects on tariffs, submissions from interested consumer groups and expert comment from within the electricity industry. The party will report back to the council at the end of June.

■ The report of the party to last evening’s council meeting will be sent to Mr Elwood as the council’s policy response on electricity supply. The party will also report on the Canterbury United Council, its functions and achievements, at the request of Cr Vicki Buck.