Council may reduce number of committees
WHEN Waitaki residents next discuss the possible subdivision of Forrester Heights at Cape Wanbrow, secondterm Waitaki district councillor Jeremy Holding could be leading the debate.
The Waitaki District Council will today consider a new committee structure at the council — reducing the number of main committees from four to three, but also adding ‘‘associate’’ chairmen and chairwomen, replacing the traditional ‘‘deputy’’ role.
Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said the proposed new makeup of the council’s committees meant ‘‘giving part of the portfolio responsibilities’’ to the new associate chairs.
The assets committee is proposed to have Cr Bill Kingan retain his role as chairman, with newcomer Cr Peter Newton taking an associate chairman role, focusing on solid waste and recycling.
Mr Kircher would be an associate chairman looking after property and the proposed events centre.
The new community, culture and regulatory committee would be chaired by deputy mayor Melanie Tavendale, with Cr Jim
Hopkins as an associate chairman, focusing on the district plan review, and newcomer Cr Hana Halalele as an associate chairwoman responsible for Safer Waitaki.
The rejigged performance, audit and risk committee would retain Cr Colin Wollstein as chairman, with Cr Holding as associate chairman for information services, and newcomer Cr Ross McRobie as associate chairman, risk.
Before the election, the council’s harbour area committee was subject to a lot of scrutiny from the community as it developed the Oamaru Harbour master plan — Mr Kircher would retain the chairman’s role with Cr Holding slated as associate chairman, Cape Wanbrow.
‘‘We’ve had a lot of focus on the immediate area (Oamaru Harbour) . . . but not up on the Cape,’’ Mr Kircher said. ‘‘I do want us to have a conversation on the paddock that is referred to as Forrester Heights and see what the community wants to do with that. So, he can help lead that.’’
Revenue from a subdivision at Forrester Heights has been suggested as a way to fund harbour infrastructure maintenance.