Central Otago District Council chief executive Peter Kelly had a harder time selling the idea yesterday afternoon to the Cromwell Community Board (CCB) than at a relaxed hearing earlier at the Vincent Community Board (VCB) meeting, in Alexandra.
In a report to all the region’s community boards, Mr Kelly said it was many years since the boards’ delegated authority had been reviewed.
While their ability to spend without needing council approval could be curbed, the boards’ role was protected by law, Mr Kelly said.
Mayor Tim Cadogan said of the 67 councils in New Zealand only 13, including Central Otago’s, had community boards for every part of the district.
Central Otago has community boards in Teviot and the Maniototo as well as Vincent and Cromwell. Each board has at least one member on the district council.
CCB member and district councillor Neil Gillespie said he thought it was more than 20 years since the boards’ delegated authority had been reviewed.
The council had been pretty supportive of what the boards had wanted to do, while retaining control through the budget and long-term process, he said.
"Maybe too often through that process it has been a little bit of a, dare I say, a rubber stamp without too much understanding generally because the funding has been available through various budgets and cost centres that different rates to the ward, and therefore the board, cover so it was having no impact on the rest of the district."
However, the Cromwell town hall upgrade was heading down a path where the numbers were "absolutely eye-watering" and that, along with other planned infrastructure upgrades over the next 20 to 30 years, was was going to makes funding things more difficult.
Board member Cheryl Law said Cromwell had always been perceived as benefiting from land sales and that had created an imbalance around the district. The boards’ delegated authority did not need reviewing, and it was really about wanting to tap into Cromwell’s funds, she said.
"If we’re absolutely honest it’s about money."
At the VCB meeting members accepted Mr Kelly’s report with little discussion.
VCB member Martin McPherson said the effect would be less in Vincent than it would be perceived in Cromwell and would benefit the whole district.
"Start thinking along those lines that we’re going to be better off across the whole district."
VCB chairwoman Tamah Alley said the wards did not have "hard borders".
Community boards have until February 11 to make submissions on the report, which will be heard at the council meeting later in the month.
In the council’s register of delegations — adopted in October last year — community boards have the delegated authority to spend money without council oversight in areas such as maintaining and upgrading community centres, public halls and museums as well as parks and cemeteries.
In areas needing extra funding such as bridges and roading the boards can make recommendations to the council.
However, their powers are limited to matters solely related to their wards and they must act in line with the council’s overall policies and plans.
