Tempers flare in super-city row

THAT'S TORN IT: Masterton councillors have voted not to back the recommendation for a super-city, instead confirming their support for a Wairarapa unitary authority.

Sparks flew at a Masterton District Council meeting this week as councillors - divided over whether they should continue to support a Wairarapa unitary authority - battled to reach agreement.

After a 30-minute, acrimonious debate, a decision reconfirming support for a unitary authority was carried 6-4, flying in the face of a Local Government Commission recommendation to include Wairarapa in a Wellington super-city.

As a result, the council has confirmed it opposes the commission's draft recommendation, reinforces its preferred option as being for a Wairarapa Unitary Authority, and gives chief executive Pim Borren permission to prepare a submission to the commission along those lines as part of the public consultation process.

The thrust of the debate centred around an attempt by those opposing a unitary authority - councillors Brent Goodwin, Gary Caffell, Chris Peterson and David Holmes - to have the council stall its support for a unitary authority until the matter was taken up at a strategy meeting in late January.

Their stance was based on the belief that some supporting the unitary authority had not taken the time to thoroughly read the draft proposal decision and supporting documents.

Mr Caffell said he was "flabbergasted" to learn some councillors had not read what was in the report. "I don't know how any councillor could vote on this without reading the reports.

"They are not showing integrity and I defy any councillor to vote until the reports have been read, it is not fair on the people we represent," he said.

Mr Peterson said there was a need to carefully examine the documents before councillors painted themselves into a corner. "We all need to talk things over among ourselves and with our community.

"A decision should be stood down until the strategy meeting, so we can get a proper handle on it."

He was supported by Mr Holmes, who said the reports were a "huge document" and councillors needed to "batten down the hatches" and read them properly. "Then we can return at the end of January and discuss this with a fresh mind."

Mr Goodwin said contained in the reports was an independent analysis that showed the financial burden of a Wairarapa unitary authority would mean an average rate increase of $509 a year on each ratepayer.

"The decision was made by the commission last Thursday, the reports were received by councillors 24 hours ago and now you are asking us to vote on it," he said.

Mayor Lyn Patterson, who led the debate in favour of confirming a unitary authority as the preferred option, said she was surprised "to be lectured about reading reports".

After all the debate that had gone before, she said, "to me, there is nothing in the reports that should be new, or surprising to anyone sitting around this table".

She was backed up by deputy mayor Graham McClymont, who took issue with Mr Caffell and Mr Goodwin, saying "there is nothing new in the reports".

Councillor Simon O'Donoghue said he was confident there was a "darn sight more support" among the people for a unitary authority over a super-city.

Central government stood to save $30 million by cutting back on councils and councillors - "that is why they are railroading us".

When the matter was finally put to a vote, Mrs Patterson and councillors Jonathan Hooker, Graham McClymont, Mark Harris, Pip Hannon, Doug Bracewell and Simon O'Donoghue won the day for confirmation of a Wairarapa unitary authority as the council's preferred option.