Community plan put to Riccarton Council

Press, 23 March 1988, Page 13

Community plan put to Riccarton Council

■ ■ . i . r * • I In a determined step towards keeping in touch; with the “grass roots” 'of the Riccarton community, the Riccarton Borough Council community affairs committee recbmmendj a community plan to the council for approval. ; A pilot meeting held with Riccarton residents' in the block 'bound ! [by Riccarton, WharenuiJ Blenheim Roads , arid' Wainui Street, was jat-j tended by enthusiastic people, according to the; Riccarton Borough Coun-j cil community affairs officer, Ms Susan Hodder.- j "1 feel confident that .it’s a good, scheme i to 1 carry on with, and it will in some ways help break down the barriers which we might not perceive are there, but the public do,” said Ms Hodder, i j Ms Hodder quoted; a case where a local woman had approached her, saying she had written many

letters to i the council .which had not yet been, 'answered, and she did riot know how- to follow it up. ■‘lt might be obvious jtb (the council to ring up and find out what went wrong, but for the public, such a reply can create a real barrier,” Ms Hodder saib. I i The Mayor of Riccar- ; tori, Mr Richard Harrington, voiced some concern j at; the council’s failure Ito I reply to the resident’s ! letters. ; i‘l would like to know wtiy her letters were not answered. We should be concerned ’ about ' public relations- arid try to do something about it,”. he, said. [The community plan re-; commended by the council’s community affairs; committee involves the participation of neigh- -. bpurhood, support. groups ; throughout the Riccarton I Borough. ■ Five' community com-

mittees' have been set up ; in Riccarton South, Ric- [ carton East, Riccarton North, Mid Riccarton, and i Riccarton West. 'Neigh- ! bourhood support groups in these areas would Jbe ? able to voice .their con- I cerns in the community I committees,! and a jrepre-j sentative from each community committee i could ; relate these concerns to [ the central advisory group. | • J ; I The advisory group is riiade up of one representative from each community committee,; with the community affairs officer from.the Riccarton Borough Council, arid the chairman of the council’s; community ; affairs com- ( mittee. ! From there, all community concerns would be presented to the Riccar-. iton Borough Council; (through the community [affairs officer’s monthly! i report. ; |-, ( I ;