Better Wairarapa

Press release: For immediate release

Thursday 4 December 2014, 2.00pm

LGC decision great news for Wairarapa

Today’s announcement from the Local Government Commission (LGC) is great news for the people of Wairarapa.

Wairarapa has been part of the Wellington region for many decades now. The Commission’s decision to retain Wairarapa as part of the Wellington region in its proposal continues that long historical connection.

In addition, the Commission’s decision to use a system of Local Boards will ensure that Wairarapa people directly control local issues through the Wairarapa Local Board. Local Boards are much more powerful than community boards in terms of powers and funding. The Wairarapa Local Board will give a strong voice to the different communities across Wairarapa.

Today’s decision means Wairarapa will continue to enjoy the benefits of being part of a larger governance entity that can properly look after our hills, rivers and lakes, mitigate flood risk, and face the challenges of climate change. There is simply no way that the ratepayers of the Wairarapa - many of who are on fixed incomes - could have met these costs. This was no doubt a major reason behind the LGC rejecting the application of the Wairarapa Working Party.

Wairarapa also needs to provide its people with better and higher paying jobs. Too many of our children leave the Wairarapa never to return because of the job situation here. There are not enough career pathways for young people and understandably many leave.

We can turn this around if we are part of a strong and united Wellington region that has the tools to deliver real economic change through better infrastructure and economic development initiatives. The Wairarapa Working Party’s plan to leave the Wellington region would have had the opposite effect.

Better Wairarapa looks forward to the LGC beginning its consultation on the draft model. There will be a great deal of interest in Wairarapa about the mechanics of the model and how it will work in practice. The consultation process represents an excellent opportunity for Wairarapa people to help shape the Commission’s final model.

Better Wairarapa

www.betterwairarapa.org.nz

END OF RELEASE

Better Wairarapa is a working party made up of representatives of: • Sustainable Wairarapa (SWI) • Wairarapa Chamber of Commerce • Wairarapa Development Group • Wairarapa Options Group For more information contact Better Wairarapa spokesperson Steph Gundersen-Reid: (06) 370-9208

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