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Submissions closed today on a draft plan to replace
the four Northland councils -
Whangarei, Kaipara, Far North District and Northland Regional -
into one super Northland council.
But Far North councillor Willow-Jean Prime says
the Local Government Commission
must first deal with Kaipara Council's crippling debt
ahead of its plan,
because she says it isn't her ratepayers' responsibility.
One super council for the north is being proposed.
We don't support it
and we do not agree
with the Local Government Commission's report.
So we strongly oppose this draft plan.
There are currently four councils in Northland -
Kaipara, Whangarei, Northland,
and Willow-Jean Prime's Far North District Council.
There are a number of concerns that need to be further examined,
like the local boards
and the debts incurred by the Kaipara council.
Solomon Tipene is the Maori Relationships Manager
at Whangarei Council.
He has other ideas.
At the end of the day,
Whangarei and Kaipara perhaps can work together,
but leave the other councils as they are for the Far North.
Both of them have a major concern.
For a long time,
Maori here were not heard
by the councils,
and some say they'd like to see a statutory board
similar to the one in Auckland.
I don't think that's a good idea
because I want to see Maori have a real voice
at the council table,
not just at a committee level.
The proposal for the new council is to have nine councillors,
seven wards, one mayor,
seven community boards,
and two Maori boards with iwi appointed members.
If the commission wants to proceed with its plans,
they must legally prove
that there is a ground swell of support for this first.
Our council opposes it
and yesterday sent their submission.
What they really support is the enhanced status quo,
and to leave the unitary authority alone
because it's a really a big distraction at this point in time.
If the plans come to fruition,
then there will be one super Northland council in place
by November 2015.
Roihana Nuri, Te Karere.