Apparent accord on tukutuku panels

Wanganui District Council has made what may be a final decision on its controversial pare and tukutuku panels.

At the council's community and environment committee meeting on Thursday, councillors voted to place the tukutuku panels permanently at the entrance to the council chamber and beside the pare (entranceway). But, as with everything relating to the pare, it was not without controversy.

At a full meeting of the council on August 22, councillors voted to install the pare outside the council chamber, and it was placed there the next day.

However, the position of the two tukutuku panels could not be decided upon. The artist, Neil Ranginui, originally designed them to go inside the council chamber, but most councillors felt the panels - made from a corrugated iron base - were not appropriate for the inside of the chamber.

The decision on the tukutuku panels was referred to Thursday's committee meeting. In the meantime, the panels were temporarily placed outside the council chamber next to the pare.

At Thursday's meeting, Councillor Jack Bullock moved that the tukutuku panels be installed permanently next to the pare.

But Councillor Nicki Higgie said Mr Ranginui had designed them to go inside the council chamber, and she wished to know why.

"I won't support a motion to have them installed outside the council chamber while a question mark remains over the artist's intention to have them inside," Mrs Higgie said.

Council chief executive Kevin Ross said the tukutuku panels had been put outside temporarily for display purposes only, and Mr Ranginui had said he felt it was appropriate for them to be outside.

Mrs Higgie said she could not support Mr Bullock's motion without knowing more about Mr Ranginui's intention.

Councillor Hamish McDouall suggested council should not waste any more time on the issue.

"Look, the picture of the Queen - our head of state - has been moved over by the tea trolley, and that wasn't voted on."

Mrs Higgie and Councillor Ray Stevens were the only councillors to vote against the motion, which was passed.

However, this may not be the end of the pare saga. The committee's decision must go to the full council meeting on October 3.