Council approves Te Arawa proposal for consultation

Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick and Rotorua Lakes Council chief executive Geoff Williams pictured at a meeting earlier this month. Photo / File

The public consultation period for the Rotorua Lakes Council's controversial Te Arawa Partnership Proposal is set to begin.

In an extraordinary meeting of the council yesterday, Rotorua Lakes councillors voted 9-4 in favour of approving the proposal for public consultation.

An extension of the consultation period from March 27 to April 17, as well as an increase to 10 public information sessions, were among the key changes made to the original proposal process.

The purpose of the meeting was to approve the proposal for consultation, but the decision to go ahead wasn't without protest from councillors Rob Kent, Glenys Searancke, Mike McVicker and Peter Bentley - who are also members of the Rotorua Pro Democracy Society.

Mr Kent said while he was supportive of moving into public consultation, he would not support it without further amendments being made to the proposal.

"There are still various issues within this document, leaving it open to misunderstanding and misinterpretation," he said.

Mrs Searancke supported Mr Kent's amendments saying she was disappointed his points were not being considered "in a civil manner".

"What we're trying to do is put out a document that is not challengeable and most of all is clear to all our ratepayers."

However, councillor Janet Wepa said it was time to "stop mucking around and get on with it".

"I really think it is getting to the stage of nit-picking over everything and wanting it a certain way.

"We are also thinking our public have got no idea what it's about and I think that's ridiculous. Our public know what this is about and I think we shouldn't underestimate our community's ability to submit and understand this without going any further."

Councillors voted 8-5 against pursuing Mr Kent's amendments before the majority voted in favour of moving on to the next stage of the process.

Councillor Charles Sturt makes his point during a recent Rotorua Lakes Council meeting. Photo / File

In December, the council approved "in principle", and for consultation purposes only, the model proposed by Te Arawa, by a majority vote of 10-3.

The proposal could see the establishment of an iwi board outside of the council structure to replace the former Te Arawa Standing Committee.

Te Arawa would appoint or elect a board of up to 14 people with two representatives - with voting rights - to sit on the council's Operations and Monitoring Committee and on its Strategy, Policy and Finance Committee, with one on the Chief Executive Performance Committee and another representative on Resource Management Act hearings panels.

Dates for the 10 public information sessions are yet to be confirmed, but will take place between March 9 and 27.

The Statement of Proposal, submission form and other information will be made available to the public from March 2 from Rotorua Lakes Council's Customer Centre, District Library, City Focus and the council website www.rotorualakescouncil.nz.

Feedback can be provided to the council on the submission form, or online from the council website. The period for submissions to be lodged closes on April 17.