Waimairi commissions study on reform paper

Press, 4 March 1988, Page 15

Waimairi commissions study on reform paper

The Waimairi District Council will commission a report from an independent firm of consultants on the; recently released local government reform discussion document. The District Chairman, Mrs Margaret Murray, told the community affairs committee ijneeting that it was important the report was addressed with some, urgency so hat the council would have some submissions prepared on the document by the Government’s. April 1 deadline. ’ i Neighbouring i local authorities will b< invited to 1 take part in the report's preparation, but the committee has decided | that it should go ahead regard-

less of whether they participate.

Mrs | Murray said it seemed that change was inevitable and that the discussion document released by the Government last month should be viewed as something constructive. "It is vit,al that Waimairi does a report on its own, and it does it seriously and in depth.” The i over-all theme of the document needed to be addressed by the consultants, Gabites, Porter and Partners, rather than all .the individual questions, |she said. j The; total budget for the comrriissioned report is not: to exceed $30,000.

Three workers will be engaged on it full-time until the end of this month. Mrs Murray said the cost was likely to be quite significant, but would be “a pittance” for the ratepayers compared with what would happen if local government reform took the wrong direction. “If we get it wrong our people are going to be paying for ever and a day,”;she said. Cr I Arthur Adcock thought it was important that ithe council try to combine with other local authorities for its report on the discussion document; and that jit not be seen ito be parochial. I