United Council after ‘profitable activities’

Press, 20 October 1987, Page 7

United Council after ‘profitable activities’

The Christchurch City Council wants a review of the Canterbury United Council membership because it says the United Council wants to take over some of the city’s profitable trading activities.

City councillors are also "extremely displeased” that the United Council provided an expert witness for Heathcote County at last week’s Local Government Commission meeting on the proposed boundary change between the two authorities. A stinging attack on the regional body was unleashed last evening by Cr Vicki Buck, who called it a "wanton waste of ratepayers’ money.” She was angry at the United Council’s plan to take over the airport, electricity and port functions of the region. It was acting against the interests of its largest member council, the City Council, in doing that, she said. The United Council wanted only revenue-gen-erating activities, she said. It did not want to take on any costs.

Cr Buck put a notice of motion that the City Council resolutely oppose the United Council’s taking over the airport, the port, or electricity. The council also voted to initiate a review of United Council membership. Cr Buck said that if it were possible for the City Council to give up its United Council membership, she would have moved that. If it were possible to disband the United Council she would have moved that also. She had moved the only course open to the City Council — of a review of membership. If the City Council had to be a member of the United Council it should seek a fairer representation. "We should control it so that it does not run away

with spending as it does at the moment,” she said. The City Council had five representatives among the 26 united councillors. It had about half the population and paid ' about half the United Council’s total levy. It should have half the members, she said. Other councillors agreed with Cr Buck that the structure of the United Council meant it could not work. “It is not necessarily the fault of the people there, although many of them exacerbate the problems,” Cr Buck said. Cr Maurice Carter agreed that the structure of the United Council meant it could not work. It was impossible for an urban council to reflect the needs of a rural area. The council sat upstairs writing reports on everything imaginable, he said.

Sir Hamish Hay, a former chairman of the United Council, said he believed it had done some good work and something of value had "come down from upstairs.” But he was angry at the approval — “apparently by the present chairman, Mrs Margaret Murray” — for a council officer, Mr Max Barber, to give evidence on Heathcote’s behalf at the local government meeting last week. He objected strongly to the United Council’s taking sides in the amalgamation debate. If a staff member was to give evidence it should have been discussed by the United Council, City representatives included, Sir Hamish said.

His colleagues agreed and decided to express their “extreme displeasure” to the United Council.