City Council backs merger

Press, 17 June 1986, Page 9

City Council backs merger

The Local Government Commission’s proposal for a merged Christchurch was endorsed by the Christchurch City Council last evening.

But the council wants the commission to confirm that urban Paparua will be included in stage two of the reorganisation. i A report from the coun-

cil’s own working party on local government noted that the council would send out a leaflet on the proposal with its next rating assessments. It compared the proposal with the council’s own submission and listed 13 points of similarity and difference. It accepted the commission’s arrangements for

the transition to the new metropolitan council. Its endorsement of the proposal aside, the working party listed two matters for discussion with the commission. The first was the raising of rates from the four existing districts until a common valuation roll could be made. That should apply to total rates rather than

just the general rate, the council says.

It also assumed the commission would consider the views of local authorities and the communities of interest in establishing wards. There was little discussion on the proposal by councillors as they unanimously accepted their working party’s recommendation to endorse the commission’s proposal. Cr David Close asked that the City Council approach other councils to resume informal talks about the proposal.

Cr John Burn asked that the council consider carefully the planned leaflet because of recent comments on using ratepayers’ money against amalgamation. He objected to the “veiled” threat contained in some remarks about councils’ spending. • Mr Warren Cooper, the Opposition spokesman on local government and South Island development, will speak at a public meeting on amalgamation this evening. The meeting, organised by the Heathcote County Council, will be at 7.30 p.m. in the Lansdowne Terrace Community Centre.