West Otago and Lawrence Tuapeka community board members spoke out in defence of their boards yesterday, with some suggesting residents in the two communities should decide their fate, not the council or the wider district.
They were responding to uncertainty over the future of the boards ahead of decisions later in the year under the Representation Review Statement of Proposal, required by law every six years and open to community consultation.
At the meeting of the West Otago Community Board at Tapanui yesterday morning, chairwoman Barbara Hanna stood by her comments reported in the Otago Daily Times last week, stating she believed the board was a good voice for the community.
In his second term as a board member, John Herbert said he believed the future of Clutha's two community boards should be decided by those paying for them, not the council.
"The people of West Otago fund the community board - it should be up to West Otago residents to decide what they want."
Community board members were elected by those in their respective wards, and Mr Herbert said the democratic system worked well - better than a community committee, as the community chose who represented them.
He urged residents in West Otago to make submissions to the council stating whether or not they should have a community board, and why.
"I would hate to see the future of our community board decided by the council. The decision belongs to the West Otago."
In Lawrence yesterday afternoon, Lawrence Tuapeka Community Board member Roger Cotton said the district council seldom turned down recommendations from the community board.
"They listen to us."
Lawrence Tuapeka Community Board chairman Geoff Davidson questioned who would have "driven" the Lawrence streetscape project or Gabriels Gully walking track without the community board.
District council chief executive Charles Hakkaart said other wards around the district had community committees, some of which only met when there was a specific issue to be consulted on, such as footpaths.
The council's proposed ward boundary changes remove Waipahi from the Clinton ward, adding the area to West Otago, meaning residents would pay a West Otago Community Board rate.
Boundary changes would also see the Lawrence Tuapeka ward and community board losing Tuapeka Mouth and part of Waitahuna West to the Clutha Valley ward.
Mr Hakkaart said the boundary changes were proposed to meet legislative requirements for the population per elected member to be within plus or minus 10% of 1209 (1088 to 1330).
Both community boards will meet in the next few weeks to write submissions to the Representation Review Statement of Proposal.
Public submissions to the review close on May 11, with the council making its final decision later this year, coming into effect for the local body elections next year.
