Proposed amalgamation not feasible—Mayor

Press, 25 February 1986, Page 7

Proposed amalgamation not feasible—Mayor

The proposed amalgamation of Christchurch’s local authorities is not feasible, says the Mayor of Riccarton Borough, Mr Dick Harrington. At the Borough Council meeting last evening, Mr Harrington said the proposal made by the chairman of the Local Government Commission, Mr Brian Elwood, last week, was theoretical and could not be carried out.

Mr Harrington said he could not understand how amalgamation would save ratepayers in the Christchurch area $5 million. "The thing is to prove it,” Mr Harrington said. “I don’t believe he (Mr Elwood) could prove it.”

Mr Harrington said amalgamation would not

save money, it would cost money.

Mr Harrington said many people had approached him since the announcement last week saying they did not want amalgamation to go ahead.

The council had a responsibility to its ratepayers to ensure they received the best possible deal, Mr Harrington said. While a special council sub-committee would consider the commission’s proposals he did not see how the council could agree to it.

Several other councillors also said they were strongly opposed to amalgamation. Cr Derek Anderson said the commission’s proposal was meant as a solution to

a problem, but he could not see what the problem was.

“Everybody assumes there is a problem. I cannot see what is wrong with what we have now. The more I read this report, the more it makes me upset to see the comments and generalities ... that we are expected to take for gospel.”

Cr Brian Harman said if the philosophy that bigger authorities were more efficient was taken to the extremes, all local authorities should be abolished, and their business should be taken over by the Ministry of Works and Development.

“I think the trouble is that Mr Elwood has forgotten one factor, and that is the -human

Cr George Mhrriner said the proposal was not one of amalgamation, but rather it was a takeover of smaller councils. "I think that we run a good, tight ship here, and it seems unfortunate that we are going to be dragged in to help pay for a lot of the things that are costing the city.” The amalgamation was not a logical one, Cr John Warren said.

“The airport of the city is excluded. The port of the city is excluded. Even the prison of the city is excluded. The rural area to the north of the city is in ... but the urban area of Paparua is out. We seem to have got a very funny boundary for the one community."