Plan submission 'treated with contempt'
Wanganui's Rural Community Board laboured over its submission to Horizons Regional Council's 10 Year Plan, but its offering was treated "with a level of contempt", chairman Alan Taylor says.
Horizons chairman Bruce Gordon doesn't agree with that analysis. He said the board's submission was one of 223 received this year and all were carefully considered and responded to by the council.
"It is always a challenge to balance the diverse concerns and interests within our region, however we feel points raised by the Wanganui Rural Community Board have been heard and responded to in a positive manner."
He and Horizons chief executive Michael McCartney gave a presentation to the board (WRCB) at the start of the submission process, allowing members to ask questions before they started their submission.
Mr Taylor said the submission was then workshopped, with board members travelling from Mangamahu and Kakatahi to put it together. Horizons responded in a "cursory and unsatisfactory" manner and did not address the issues, Mr Taylor said.
One matter raised was the annual levy Horizons pays to the Animal Health Board for TB control. Mr Gordon said Horizons was continuing to fund the Animal Health Board's Tb Vector work for the next three years, which is what the board wanted.
The council also decided not to continue with Stage 2 and 3 flood protection for Wanganui, in line with the board's submission.
"However, the council did resolve to undertake investigations into the standard and structural integrity of existing stop banks at Anzac Pde/Kowhai Park and make provision in the 2013-14 Annual Plan for any upgrade works that may be required ... "
The board asked Horizons to allow contractors to push slip material from roads into the Whangaehu River.
The disposal of slip material was not a matter for Long-term Plan submissions, Mr Gordon said. It needed to be dealt with through the consent process.
The WRCB wanted to be involved in investigating innovative rural transport options - buses from Taihape to Wanganui and Palmerston North for example. Mr Gordon said a fortnightly service would be introduced.
