Community boards differ over importance of powers
Community Boards have few discretionary powers, and while some representatives prefer the arrangement, others see room for improvement. Tawa Community Board chairperson Robert Tredger says in Christchurch community boards play a more active role in carrying out a local government work. ?In Christchurch they have more powers. ?Christchurch has a council that is very proactive with community boards, which are delegated larger powers than we have,? says Mr Tredger. He says the board in Tawa become involved as much as possible in local issues. A few months ago they evoked the power of sitting in on a resource consent hearing about property development in Linden, and were able to comment at Wellington City Council meetings, but not vote. The Auckland supercity situation is a ?moving target? that will provide a blueprint for how powers are delegated to the community, he says. ?The Council here may suggest a different situation, but what happens in Auckland will provide a template,? Mr Tredger says. Eastbourne Community Board chairperson Ian Young says the Eastern Harbour ward speed-limit debate is set to emerge again as they assume power over setting the limit. ?The speed limit powers have come to us and it has caused quite a turnaround. ?In general, the powers of delegation are fairly circumscribed,? says Mr Young. He is cautious of recommending that more powers be delegated to community boards because their main function is advocacy and not to ?set the width of a footpath?. ?We have to be careful that the power is useful. ?Independent community boards should spend more time on issues in the area,? he says. The boards experience with the Korohiwa bus barns and the upgrade of the Pencarrow Head entranceway shows that advocacy on certain issues gets results. ?We had quite a lot of influence there, and it?s better to be in partnership with the council on these things,? he says. Petone Community Board deputy chairperson Michel Lulich says they have a variety of discretionary powers such as the naming of reserves, and will soon be trained for setting speed limits. ?Traffic management delegations that relate to parking restrictions like no stopping, 10 min restrictions seem to have been delegated back to the Council officers, I feel Community Board should be doing this,? he says. Most of?what the?Board does?relates to being?advocates for the community. They provide input, put in submissions, consult the community and are developing a Petone Community Plan. ?Delegations that we have been involved in include granting/renewing of leases to recreation organisations on reserves. ?We have also given grants to community groups under our Community Engagement Fund,? he says. Mr Lulich says they have more delegations then other Boards but he feels there should be more. ?The?new government, and Minister of Local Government, have been talking about giving community boards in New Zealand?a?bigger role?and more delegations in the future, which I feel Hutt City Council should look into more closely,? he says.
