Blenheim ‘delighted’

Press, 7 October 1988, Page 3

Blenheim ‘delighted’

The Mayor of Blenheim, Mr Leo McKendry, said yesterday that he was delighted with the decision. It was now over to Marlborough to show that the proposal could be made to work. Mr McKendry said he was concerned that Marlborough was not to have a unitary authority. “I don’t believe that the commission’s assessment would stand up to close scrutiny because the act specifically provides for a unitary authority. That in itself, however, is relatively minor. The important news is that we have been able to retain local government for Marlborough. Mr McKendry said he would like to think that the Blenheim Borough Council’s action in not attending the meeting in Nelson yesterday had in some small way helped persuade the commissioner that Blenheim was deadly serious in its intention and desire to have a separate region for Marlborough. Clearly, everyone in Marlborough

would be anxious to know the commission’s decision regarding the future of the Marlborough Catchment Board. There would be a nubmer of interesting developments during the next year, he said. The chairman of the Marlborough United Council, Mr Malcolm Dick, also expressed pleasure yesterday at the commission’s decision to recognise Marlborough s a separate region. He said this was obviously the result of the input made by all sectors of the community. Mr Dick said his pleasure was tinged with regret, however, that the commission believed itself unable under the legislation to have one unitary authority for Marlborough performing both regional and territorial functions. “Obviously, if there were to be efficiencies and economies achieved by union, Marlborough ratepayers must logically be better served by all local authorities in Marlborough coming together,” he said.