Merger plan raises fears

Press, 28 November 1987, Page 2

Merger plan raises fears

Worries about a proposal to merge the North Canterbury Catchment Board and the Canterbury United Council into a regional authority were expressed by Catchment Board members yesterday at a board meeting. Mr Frank Wilding said catchment responsibilities would be wider under the proposed changes, and he wondered if this would hamper the board’s catchment work. Dr Alex Sutherland said soil and water control should be one of the main functions of the new authority, and if the board wanted to protect soil and water values it would have to convince the public of their importance. Dr Sutherland questioned the wisdom of taking “small steps” in negotiations as suggested by Mr Richard Johnson. “We will never get very Jar with small steps, and the solution will just be put upon us,” he said.

Dr Sutherland also challenged the idea that because the catchment board had elected members and rating powers it

was the ideal base for a regional authority. It would be better to build a completely new authority with these powers, he said.

Another question for negotiators to keep in mind were comments in a newspaper article claiming the board was running out of business and looking for other work to do, he said.

Mr Trevor Inch said the board should make some effort to inform territorial authorities about its proposal.

“Without factual information people imagine all sorts of things which may or may not be happening,” he said.

Mr Chris Kerr said he was aware local leaders were being approached by United Council members who were promoting the council’s proposal and diminishing the Catchment Board’s alternative plan.

A sub-committee of Messrs Richard Johnson, Trevor Inch, Peter Dunbar and Oakleigh Osborne was formed to meet with United Council members next week.