posted 22 Nov 2015, 14:18 by CPCA Secretary
[
updated 22 Nov 2015, 14:20
]
Residents may
have seen recently that Johnsonville and Newlands/Paparangi
Residents’ Associations are collecting signatures as the first step
towards establishing a Community Board.
Your Community
Association was asked if Churton Park wished to join, but after
giving long and careful consideration decided to decline the
invitation. Some background and comment on the “no” decision
includes the following:
-
The
exercise arose at the time the multi-city amalgamation proposal
debate was at its peak. Johnsonville/Newlands were concerned that
they may be “swamped” by the bigger suburb of Karori if they
were within the proposed Ohariu district and would miss out on
getting matters that are of importance to them addressed in their
favour. That amalgamation exercise has been abandoned, but the Local
Government Commission will be making a further proposal at some
stage, and the shape of that may be significantly different from
previously. The state of local body governance nationally is in a
state of flux and it is very hard to see what direction it will take
and what formats will apply. This makes the Board proposal very
risky, as it may well have a very short existence.
-
The prime
requirement in the establishment of a Board is to have a “community
of interests”. Despite extensive review CPCA could not find
anything of significance in this area. Suburbs invited to be
included in the proposed Board are quite separate geographically and
do not have a common focus or “town centre” and have quite
different areas of concern.
-
An analogy
that could be applied to Churton Park if it were to be operating
under a Community Board would be if a proposal did not interest
Johnsonville/Newlands they may not accede to Churton Park’s
requirements. For example, housing intensification is an issue that
is of relevance to Johnsonville, but not to Churton Park.
-
A
Community Board would leave this Association in a significantly
weakened state. For example, should Churton Park have an issue
concerning a specific matter and approached Wellington City Council,
the Council is most likely to refer the Association to the Community
Board. The Board may have little interest in the issue and not be
prepared to advance the matter. Where would that leave Churton Park
residents? CPCA believes it has excellent lines of communication
with Ward Councillors and WCC staff that it has been able to use
with success.
-
Despite
Johnsonville/Newlands’ contention, Community Boards do not get all
they ask for “as of right”. This fact has been confirmed by
looking at the Tawa Community Board’s operations. A community
board is also expensive to run – this has the potential to impact
on rates.
-
There
could well be difficulties in getting sufficiently motivated people
with the necessary skill-sets, as well as being well-known over the
whole district, to stand for election to the Board. This may mean,
ultimately, that Churton Park could be left with no representation
on a Community Board. Churton Park could be left with additional
layers of governance to battle through to get issues to the ultimate
decision making table.
-
WCC may
not agree to the setting up of a Board – it is not something that
occurs automatically if asked for.
Taking all the
foregoing into consideration it was decided, unanimously, by your
Committee not to accept the invitation to join in this scheme.
Richard Taylor
President CPCA 23 Nov 2015
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