Few submissions on gang ban bylaw

DOES no news really mean good news?
Despite national media attention attracted by a proposed Wanganui District Council bylaw to ban gang patches in public places, only one Wanganui person bothered to put a submission in.
In total, five people have made submissions ? two for and three against.
Former city councillor Rob Vinsen put pen to paper, along with Marton man and former Rangitikei District Council councillor Nick Eddy, and three others.
Mayor Michael Laws said yesterday he was "delighted" with the small number of submissions, as it proved there was overwhelming support from the community.
"Usually submissions are received when somebody is not happy. So the fact that there is only five just proves that the council's obviously doing something that has the approval of the community."
Some Wanganui business owners were willing to talk on the promise of anonymity, while one simply hung up straight away at the thought of commenting on a gang issue.
Mainstreet Wanganui Town Centre operations manager Ritchie Minnell said they didn't bother responding.
"When Rob (Vinsen) brought it up at the board meeting, the general feeling was no matter what happens it's not going to make much difference anyway and the fact that the council won't listen. So what's the point?"
One female business owner had a mixed view on the implementation of the bylaw.
"I just don't know what to say? They (gangs) are coming into town intermittently anyway just to rebel? Some elderly people that have come in say, 'At least we know what they look like with their regalia on'. I don't know about the bylaw, though."
Large groups of school kids sometimes looked intimidating too, she said.
"It's a wide variety who have a lack of respect for people and for each other. And when they're in their groups, like school children, 99 percent are great but it's just the one or two that ruin it for them all."
She admired Mr Laws for tackling such a tough issue. "I think the town has changed for the better."
Another business owner said he was astonished at how few submissions council received.
He believed fear of retribution could have been a reason why residents hadn't put pen to paper.
"They wouldn't know what the repercussions would be. They'd be frightened as to what happened next."
Apart from the occasional gang prospect who entered his shop, gang members were just about "invisible" in town.
"It's when one sort of colour or patch is in town at the same time as the other then it's the basis for fireworks? We regularly have both Black Power and Mongrel Mob members in here, not at the same time, and they're always very polite and they pay cash and there's not a problem," he said.
Mr Laws said because only one submitter, from Auckland, was going to make a presentation council decided to cancel tonight's proposed gang bylaw meeting.
"We couldn't justify spending council money for that. It costs about $11,000 a meeting."
Cam Stokes, a former policeman who is against the bylaw, submission will now be heard at the Long-Term Council Community Plan meeting on Monday, May 29.
Councillor Barbara Bullock said she wasn't sure why people did or didn't make submissions.
"If there's only five submissions I don't think the community was that interested one way or another."