Sir Hamish defends United budgeting

Press, 18 June 1986, Page 2

Sir Hamish defends United budgeting

The Canterbury United Council’s chairman, Sir Hamish Hay, believes that Christchurch City councillors may have overreacted in the dispute about the United Council’s budget. He says the United Council did not mean to offend city councillors when it told them it was subject only to its own direction. City councillors are unhappy that the United Council will not provide regular progress reports. Sir Hamish said the United Council exercised strict control of its budgets, and financial and progress reports were presented to United councillors ’■ ■' every three months. - ' \ Five city councillors also sat on the United Council and received ■these reports, he said. Once the material was considered by the United Council it was public information available to all councils. In an attempt to improve communications between the two councils, the Town Clerk would report to the City Council on United Council decisions, said Sir Hamish. That move was decided by the City Council at Monday’s meeting. It will also seek to have the United Council minutes tabled.