No surprises in one-city proposal

Press, 30 May 1986, Page 1

No surprises in one-city proposal

No surprises are found in the Local Government Commission’s proposal for Christchurch local government, announced yesterday.

As expected, the commission endorsed a onecity proposal and the chairman, Mr Brian Elwood, reiterated that Christchurch was one geographical unit and should have one local government.

Restructuring local government in Christchurch had been an outstanding issue for more than 40 years, he said. In the interests of efficient local government services, council staff, and ratepayers the issue should be brought to a head. The commission’s proposal was for a “single new local government system.” Combining resources would save wasteful duplication of staff, plant, equipment, and fixed overheads, Mr Elwood said. There could also be integrated planning with consistent standards, common by-laws and regula-

tions, and co-ordinated development for maintaining and improving the social and economic future of Christchurch.

The object was consistent local government at equitable consistent cost between ratepayers and users.

The commission had to balance a desire for cost efficiency against reasonable and expanding resident -.involvement, and looked to ward committees to achieve the balance.

The four councils — Waimairi, Riccarton, Heathcote, and the City — have been asked to agree to the proposal, but if any council does not agree a conciliator would be appointed. A decision on whether to proceed would be made when the conciliator re-

ported back to the commission. If the decision was to proceed, a survey of qualified electors could be made at the request of 15 per cent of voters in any of the present councils.

The survey would be to measure opposition to the specific one-city proposal. Although the commission is obliged by law only to take notice of the survey if 50 per cent of the voters in all four council areas oppose the proposal, Mr Elwood promised that the commission would take notice of the result, whatever that was. “The commission will welcome the survey and will have regard to the results before proceeding further with the reorganisation proposal,” he said.