Merger fight may go to legal action

Press, 31 January 1989, Page 6

Merger fight may go to legal action

By

PAM MORTON

A legal opinion will be sought by tiie Lyttelton Borough Council and Mount Herbert County Council in their fight against inclusion in a greater Christchurch City. A special meeting was held by the two councils in Lyttelton yesterday to consider options available to them after the release of the Local Government Commission’s draft scheme. The city-harbour basin proposal was described as an elephantine relationship by the town and county clerk, Mr Gary Broker. He said the impact on the harbour basin would be substantial, with reduced representation and adverse financial and service consequences. The Banks Peninsula option favoured by the two councils was much better balanced, he said. In his report Mr Broker said there appeared to be some scope for action against the commission. “It is apparent that some matters have been

ignored and conclusions drawn selectively from other information.” Mr Broker said a legal opinion would be sought on the possibility of a challenge to the commission’s proposal. Other options adopted by the councils included the review of information on public opinion and the lobbying of other local bodies, community groups and politicians. Mr Broker said the councils were working within a limited amount of time as public submissions on the proposal had to be in by March 1. Residents will be called on to write to members of Parliament, encouraging them to oppose amalgamation with Christchurch. Cr Noeline Lester told the meeting that as a community, “we should be screaming out.” “If we don’t do it now we will never have a chance to do it.” Committee meetings of the two councils will be held together in future to cut down on administra-