One expects guidance and leadership from civic leaders. The decisions coming from last week's council meeting on the subject of a unitary authority were anything but.
Admittedly, the new council were not responsible for the difficult situation they found themselves in, but they could have done somethingconstructive with what they were presented with. Instead of rejecting the commission's draft proposal out of hand, they could have declined to endorse it in its present form. This would have allowed, even encouraged, serious debate on the pros and cons of the worth of what is the most significant piece of legislation to affect the region in a generation.
They blew it. Unless a minor miracle happens the whole region faces the prospect of a totally unacceptable final proposal being placed in front of voters, only to be voted down. An expensive legacy triggered by our last Mayor.
The only saving grace goes to Mayor John Carter and his deputy, Tania McInnes, who voted against the motion. This gives a window of opportunity for the issue to be re-addressed at a subsequent meeting. One would expect by then the councillors will have studied the proposal in greater depth, and perhaps waited for the pending legislation giving autonomy and fiscal responsibility to community boards to be announced, as has been promised.
The council could have been well advised to defer its decision until this was released.
Meanwhile, it behoves every person in Northland to familiarise themselves with what is at stake, because whatever the final outcome, it will affect everyone for the next generation. It is that important.
There are still some who can recall the old borough counties that made up the Far North District, and the original six community boards.
