Community to exercise right

MANAWATU District Council’s Draft Long Term Council Community Plan 2009-19 is now open for consultation until Thursday, May 14. Nothing in the plan, however, will be finalised until the community has had an opportunity to consider what council is proposing. This is a once-in-three year opportunity and the community is encouraged to get involved and have its say. As a leadup to the consultation process, a number of people in the community were approached as to (1) why they were making a submission, (2) what they were going to say and (3) how they would encourage others to get involved. The first three submitters, and their replies, are:

Del Gibb (Keep Feilding Beautiful Chairperson and former Manawatu District Councillor)

1 “I’m proud of Feilding and always conscious of which way it is heading. I feel it is my duty as a ratepayer.”

2 “Personally, I feel the costs are too high to have three groups – Destination Manawatu, Vision Manawatu and Feilding Promotion – promoting our town and region. I don’t mind if they have a combined Destination-Vision organisation with Feilding Promotion, but the costs are getting out of hand and should be condensed.”

3 “I try to encourage everybody to put in a submission. It’s not much use grizzling – you need to do something about it. You may not get the result you want, but at least you are letting council know how you feel, no matter how big or small the problem. It’s a democratic right. It’s a bit like being a councillor – if people can’t say what they think, or haven’t voted, then why bother me!”

Margaret Penney (Himatangi Beach Holiday Park owner and Community Committee Secretary)

1 “We feel it is important that our little community be given the opportunity to keep on growing.”

2 “Firstly, and most importantly, that a children’s playground and skateboard park be established. The children have got nowhere to go out here – we don’t even have a playground anymore. We went through last Christmas feeling very embarrassed at not having a thing for the kids to do.”

3 “People should think about what they would really like to see in their community – to have a wish list and tick it off year by year. They should put everything down so the councillors know exactly what is coming up and what the community would like. I think it’s important that communities get behind the LTCCP because it’s the only way things are going to happen and the only time you really have your say.”

Helen Worboys (Feilding Promotion Manager)

1 “Feilding Promotion has an interest in the community and, in particular, the community’s future.”

2 “Feilding Promotion may have up to 20 submissions, with each of our community volunteer committees putting in submissions for the projects they are working on. We will also look through the plan to see if there is anything else of a general issue that Feilding Promotion wants to have a say on.”

3 “It is the community’s plan and the council acts on behalf of the community. It’s a democratic right for the community to have a say, and if people don’t, then they can’t complain. It’s also important for people to write submissions on things they support as well as those they don’t. Too often submissions are ‘anti’ ones ... council should get a clear understanding of what the community does support and what it wants.”

Copies of the Draft LTCCP Summary are to be delivered to all households this week. Submission forms are included.