Editorial: Decision time for council

Proposed Te Arawa Partnership Plan hearings are underway at the Rotorua Lakes Council.

In less than two weeks, an issue that has dominated the local news agenda for the past 12 months will be decided on by the Rotorua Lakes Council.

The quest to find a way to meaningfully engage with Te Arawa has been a factious battle that has split not only the council but the community.

As you will have seen passions have been strong on this issue - with fundamental principles believed to be at stake on both sides.

Nevertheless, as oral submissions wind up and councillors consider the many arguments put forward, we've seen hope in the past week.

It has come in the form of an optimistic mayor, whose opinion piece is on the facing page; a Pro-Democracy Society willing to rethink its hardline on Maori representation; and the rogue councillor who first revealed details of the proposal telling the society it's being too critical of the council.

As things stand, either the acceptance or rejection by councillors of the preferred Te Arawa partnership model will leave a large group of locals unhappy.

The decision is likely to reverberate through until next year's election - and I'm sure that's not lost on anyone involved.

There could even be legal ramifications, though the society and the council have opposing legal advice on this.

It makes sense for the society to seek compromise in the form of Maori wards, though practically that is not an option for several years.

It is also an option unlikely to appeal to many in Te Arawa - as it could supersede the iwi's proposed advisory board and its ability to appoint selected members to key committees.

Whatever happens at that council meeting on May 26, it's unlikely to be the end of the matter.

Could we see challenges? Protest? Could we even see a newly elected 2016 council decide it wants to revisit the issue?