Residents groups versus Community Boards
Wellington and Hutt Cities have community boards in select areas, while Porirua has none. The entire city has active residents associations, and there is a sentiment that one standard should apply to all. Hutt City Council councillor Max Shierlaw says the Western Hills don?t need community boards because Councillors liaise with residents groups efficiently, though he sees Eastbourne and Petone community boards as ?defunct?. ?Eastbourne showed what?s wrong with community boards with this bus barn business. ?They came to the council and said they had consulted widely and there was a strong feeling of support for the $2.2 million dollar upgrade,? says Cr Shierlaw. However, he says independent market research in Eastbourne found that only one-third of residents were supportive of the development. ?[Community boards] are a focal point for the minority to push their agenda. ?Residents associations are not under resourced and currently work well to achieve outcomes for their communities,? says Cr Shierlaw. Also, he says community board members attending functions around the country is ?not a priority?. Churton Park Community Association president Roger Ellis says a similar process should be in place for all of Wellington City?s residents associations. ?If the Council decides Tawa and Makara should have their own [community boards] then why shouldn?t Johnsonville, Churton Park and Newlands. ?And if they don?t want to persist with them everywhere, then those two should be dropped, the same policy should apply to all,? says Mr Ellis. Having the council appoint an officer to deal directly with communities is ?worth consideration? as anything to help a more ?coordinated? approach in the northern suburbs would be appreciated. ?Access to resources is important ... Churton Park has been passed over for years, we are still waiting for Westchester Drive, we have no community centre, and the neighbourhood centre will start next year, but that is a private sector development,? says Mr Ellis. Plimmerton Residents? Association president Colin Bleasdale says the Porirua City Council?s relationship with local communities ?works extremely well?. ?Having a person dedicated to working with our area to achieve our objectives creates an excellent relationship,? says Mr Bleasdale. Porirua?s suburbs have a council coordinator who liaises closely with members of the community. Mr Bleasdale says in the past five years this has allowed them to forge ahead with all manner of projects. ?There is really a high degree of communication,? he says.
