Trading activities stand urged

Press, 17 November 1987, Page 9

Trading activities stand urged

Regional government and its functions will be the subject of a meeting tomorrow between Christchurch local body councils and the chairman of the Local Government Commission. The Christchurch City Council will make clear its feeling that airports and electricity should remain functions of local authorities rather than the Canterbury United Coun-

cil or a reformed regional body. Cr Vicki Buck made some strong statements last evening at the council meeting about the competence of the United Council to deal with additional functions and about its motives in wanting those functions. The City Council had been continually “done” by the United Council, she asserted.

“It’s time we as a council stood up for ourselves and made it clear we believe we must retain the electricity supply and the airport for ourselves and the good of the city ratepayers,” she said. Other councillors supported her belief that the City Council must make clear its stance on the retention of trading functions. Cr Alex Clark noted

that the regional body being mooted to undertake the new functions was not the United Council but a completely new entity. Tomorrow’s meeting has been called by the Local Government Commission chairman, Mr Brian Elwood, to debate which functions should be carried out at regional level and which at local level.