The spectre of debt and substantial rates rises are behind the Central Otago District Council’s move to change the delegations of its community boards, the mayor says.
In the council’s register of delegations — adopted in October last year — its four community boards are able to spend money without council oversight in areas such as maintaining and upgrading community centres, public halls and museums as well as parks and cemeteries.
In areas needing extra funding, such as bridges and roading, the boards can make recommendations to the council.
However, their powers are limited to matters solely related to their wards and they must act in line with council policies and plans.
Chief executive Peter Kelly presented a report at yesterday’s Maniototo Community Board meeting in Ranfurly.
Speaking via audiovisual link, Mr Kelly said it was many years since the boards’ delegated authority had been reviewed.
While the ability to spend without needing council approval could be curbed, a board’s role was protected by law, Mr Kelly said.
"Community boards are the eyes and ears into the communities," he said.
"The council will still need the insights and advocacy from the community boards — that won’t change."
Mayor Tim Cadogan spoke in favour of the recommendations, and said they were needed now, as the council faced debt and substantial rates rises.
"There are some decisions that boards are currently able to make themselves that don’t have adequate overview by the bank — basically the council."
The proposed changes would take some adjustment and should be reviewed after a year, he said.
The Maniototo Community Board accepted the report and did not indicate it would make a submission to the council on the matter.
Mr Kelly also spoke at the Cromwell and Vincent community board meetings earlier this week.
The Vincent board accepted the proposed changes with little discussion, while the Cromwell board was more vocal and would take time to consider its submission to the council.
The Teviot Valley Community Board will have the chance to discuss the council report at its meeting on February 8.
Community boards have until February 11 to make submissions on the report, which will be heard at the council meeting later that month.
