Good progress on boundary decision

A JOINT Boundary Committee tasked with considering submissions on the proposed boundary change between Manawatu District and Palmerston North is already making good progress while working towards its final decision.

Committee Chair, Matt Bell, said the committee began its deliberations immediately after a four-day hearing ended in Feilding on Friday when 64 submitters personally presented their views on the Draft Boundary Reorganisation Scheme.

“The session, after the last submitter had spoken, was a very useful one-and-a-half hours as so much discussion was so fresh in our minds,” said Mr Bell.

The 212 submissions received on the scheme were heard and read by the six-member committee representing the Manawatu District and Palmerston North City Councils. It will meet again on Wednesday, October 26, to continue its deliberations, and plans to have its decision finalised by Friday, November 4.

Mr Bell said his call to submitters for “quality of content” in their submissions was generally well heeded, with everyone “very much true to themselves”.

“There was a broad range of views, ranging from no change to amalgamation, and it was noticeable that a number of submitters didn’t want a bar of the boundary change but happy to go with the amalgamation.”

The proposed boundary change will bring some land from Longburn to Kairanga, through to and including Bunnythorpe, into the city, as well as the area between Bunnythorpe and Ashhurst. The proposal also involves a small piece of land adjacent to the Saddle Road Bridge being transferred from the city to the district.

Mr Bell thanked fellow committee members - Barbara Cameron, Jim Jefferies, Tony Jensen, Annette Nixon and Tangi Utikere - for the part they had played in a challenging and reasonably intense process that demanded a great deal of concentration.

“It is a big decision to make in terms of local government reorganisation, because they can be difficult things to get to the post,” he said.

Customer Services and Democracy Manager, Janine Hawthorn, said there had been five cancellations and one “no show” of the 70 submitters who originally indicated their wish to be heard.

The hearing, held in the MDC chamber and well attended by members of the public, was one of the longest at council since its District Plan review more than 10 years ago.

The last submission was from council, the scheme’s proposer, and presented by District Mayor, Ian McKelvie, and Chief Executive, Lorraine Vincent.

Mrs Hawthorn said the final decision would be released to all submitters at the same time, and those wishing to appeal had one month to do so with the Local Government Commission.