Rodney Local Board Location Proposal Revised

Commonsense has prevailed in choosing a site for the Rodney Local Board offices, after criticism from Rodney Mayor Penny Webster of an ATA proposal to build a new office on the Warkworth Riverbank at a cost of $400,000.

“I met with ATA officials yesterday after they had visited Warkworth,” says Mrs Webster. “It was agreed to look at a temporary proposal to use the existing service centre for local board administration and the location of the Chairman’s office and to hold meetings at the Old Masonic Hall.”

“It is a ludicrous waste of money to be spending funds on an office that is not required. In many other Council areas community boards hold their meetings in local halls, which are facilities which everyone is familiar with and are comfortable visiting.”

The new Local Board will cover all of the rural areas of Rodney now, excluding the Hibiscus Coast and Mrs Webster anticipates that the Board will want to be available to people in all areas of the community.

“The new local board may want to hold meetings in Orewa (which is central to the whole area), Helensville, Kumeu or Wellsford. Spending a lot of money on a facility in Warkworth may limit their ability to meet in other locations.”

“Furthermore, if a new office is required surely this is a matter for the new Rodney Local Board to decide. After all, it will depend on who the Chair of the Local Board is and where he or she lives. For example they live in the West they’re not going to want to come to an office in Warkworth every day. It doesn’t make sense.”

“I am pleased that the ATA has come round to my way of thinking,” she says.

ENDS

© Scoop Media