Only 'two options' for Wairarapa

Wairarapa will have to find ways to cut a $8.6 million shortfall to become a unitary authority - or join the Wellington super council.

Those are the only two reform options deemed realistic by the region's mayors after the independent panel report this week.

Representatives from the three Wairarapa councils and Greater Wellington regional councillor Gary McPhee met yesterday to discuss the Wellington Review Panel report.

The report recommended the three local councils merge to form a Wairarapa Local Area Council, which would fall under a Greater Wellington Council, and a Wellington Lord Mayor.

Wairarapa mayors Adrienne Staples, Garry Daniell and Ron Mark said the report effectively called for an Auckland-style super city with some subtle differences. "It would remove local leadership, local say and local decision-making," they said.

There were now only two realistic options - a Wairarapa unitary authority which looked after district and regional activities, which was deemed by the report as too expensive, or being part of a Wellington authority.

"We will get one opportunity to get this right and we are working on further material that we will be discussing with our councillors next week," they said.

"This includes how the initial funding shortfall of $8.6 million to deliver regional activities could be reduced and how Wairarapa people will be represented."

The mayors said the report and the councils supported a single Wairarapa council but there was a vast difference in what the report was advocating and what Wairarapa people said they wanted. "Since last year, Wairarapa people have clearly and consistently told us that they see Wairarapa and Wellington as vastly different communities of interest," they said.

"We are a rural and provincial area with a different catchment, different people and different values.

"The main problem with Wairarapa being governed by a single body in Wellington is that the big decisions for Wairarapa would be made from a largely metropolitan point of view - taking power and control of our region and leaving us with a glorified community board."

The mayors said they would meet other Wellington councils at a hui on November 21 to present and listen to the various points of view on the governance of the region.

They urged people to give their views on the report.

More information and the Wairarapa governance reports are available on the working party's website and at district council offices.

See www.wairarapasfuture.govt.nz