Do not forget ORC’s attitude to public submissions

RECENTLY I had the privilege of speaking to my submission to the Otago Regional Council’s 10year plan. The hearing was held in Queenstown and was the first of three scheduled meetings — the others to be held in Alexandra and Dunedin.

I was disappointed to find that only half of the council were present on the hearings panel. I compare that to the Queenstown Lakes District Council, where all councillors and the mayor were involved in their 10year plan hearings last week.

Councillor Michael Laws has brought this matter to public attention and I support him on the fact that this is an undemocratic process to have only limited numbers of councillors hearing ratepayers speaking to their submissions.

All councillors have been elected to represent the entire constituency of those living in the ORC region. It is just not good enough that half of the council have chosen not to be on the panel.

This covers ORC’s planned work for the next 10 years. An opportunity for interaction with its residents and ratepayers is of vital importance.

I commend councillors Noone, Deaker, Lawton, Brown, Scott and Hope for making themselves available over several days to hear further comment from submitters.

Incidentally, the chief executive was not there either, which must be questionable also.

I understand the decision to have a reduced number of councillors on the hearings panel was decided last month on an eighttofour vote. It was pointed out to me that this was a democratic decision.

That is not the point. All councillors are elected to represent all of the people.

Next year is election year for local bodies. This point should be raised at that time. Kirsty Sharpe

Kawarau Falls