The desire to retain the Wanaka Community Board and the need to strengthen and support its authority were two of the ‘‘clear messages’’ delivered to councillors yesterday.
Submissions were heard at the second online public hearing on proposed changes to the representation across the Queenstown Lakes district.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions the hearing was again livestreamed through the council’s Facebook page, replacing the public hearings which were due to take place in Queenstown on Thursday and the Lake Wanaka Centre yesterday.
The council received 302 submissions, of which 213 came from the Upper Clutha, on its proposal to create three new wards — Whakatipu (4 seats), Kawarau (3 seats) and Wanaka-Hawea (4 seats) — as well as a single-seat Arrowtown ward.
The number of councillors would increase from 10 to 12, and the Wanaka community board would be disbanded.
After a close vote at its June meeting, the council narrowly moved in favour of retaining the Arrowtown ward, despite an independent advisory group’s recommendation that it be merged with the Kawarau ward.
Active Transport spokesman and Wanaka resident Simon Telfer was the first to speak during yesterday’s online hearing and said, ‘‘If we were going to keep it[the Wanaka Community Board], it needs to have greater authority, influence and dignity.’’
Philip Vink, of Wanaka, said from his point of view Upper Clutha residents were ‘‘already on the back foot’’.
‘‘I am not sure what the agenda is to remove our board but it was put in place because of the vulnerabilities of Wanaka ... and I don’t think that basis has changed.’’
He said the council was out of touch with Wanaka.
‘‘The Wanaka Airport issue ... the fact we had to put together a separate group to speak for Wanaka, it just shows you that we need a board,’’ Mr Vink said.
Barbara East, of Wanaka, said one of the reasons that had been given for disestablishing the board was because it created an extra layer of bureaucracy.
‘‘This should be waived against the benefits of bringing decision-making closer to the local communities, devolving as much of the local decision-making as possible and allowing council to concentrate on the bigger strategic issues and policy making.’’
Ms East said she had ‘‘done some research’’ and between November 2016 and December 2020 there were 59 times when items should have gone to the board first but went straight to council committees.
Ignite Wanaka chamber of commerce chairman Andrew Howard told councillors their members had been ‘‘very confused about what they were being consulted on’’.
‘‘The summary on the council website gave two options, three councillors and a community board or four councillors, which gave the impression that gaining an extra councillor was contingent upon the Wanaka Community Board being removed.
‘‘Whether or not that was the objective that was the impression that was given so when we surveyed our members it was a very clear [answer] not to remove the community board,’’ he said.
Several submitters had issues using the Zoom internet platform, and spoke by phone as an alternative.
Gilbert Van Reenan had connection issues and had to have his narrative read by chief executive Mike Theelen.
Wanaka Community Board chairman Barry Bruce said holding a hearing by Zoom was never going to be easy to facilitate ‘‘but, given the circumstances, there were some very good submissions and a very clear message to councillors to retain the board’’.
The council will make a final decision on September 16, after which there will be a period of one month for appeals.
