Regional councillor excluded from council’s own Long Term Plan hearings & deliberations – “not democratic”

Despite being an elected regional councillor, Cr Michael Laws has been deliberately excluded from being able to hear submissions from his constituents on the council’s draft Long Term Plan. Cr Laws is also excluded
from deliberating upon the public submissions, and recommending the appropriate actions of council in response to submitters.

“ It is the most anti-democratic and exclusive of processes. Elected
councillors are being stopped from hearing their own constituents. I have never struck such a flawed process in all my thirty years of public life.

“ I protested long and loud when council set up its policy. But it seems even more wrong now as my constituents submit on issues that affect their lives and livelihoods. This is a plan that affects our region for the next decade! But I can’t formally listen to their concerns – the fundamental principle that underpins democratic representation.”

The Otago regional council has established that only half of its councillors will hear submissions, and then deliberate upon them. The composition of its hearing panel changed after its chairman Stephen Woodhead became ill, but Cr Laws was not added to the panel.

Cr Laws says that he will personally attend the Long Term Plan meetings in Queenstown and Alexandra on Wednesday, “but I will sit in the audience, not be able to ask questions, nor be able to respond to legitimate constituent concerns.

“ In local government democracy terms, this is as wrong as wrong gets.”

“ If you can’t hear what your communities think, how can you properly discharge your basic democratic duty?”

Enclosed – Formal agenda (ORC) for Long Term Plan Hearings

Arrangements and reporting have been finalised with LTP hearings scheduled for next week:

The Hearing panel is comprised of:

• Cr Brown (Chair);

• Cr Deaker;

• Cr Lawton;

• Cr Hope

• Cr Scott;

• Cr Noone

ORC staff Nick Donnelly, Mike Roesler and Jasmine Weaver will also be in attendance as support.

Wednesday 23rd May

9am – 11am Hearings in Queenstown: Rydges Lakeland Resort, Wakatipu Room

12pm latest Travel time to Alexandra

1.30pm – 2pm Lunch at The Cellar Door in Alexandra

2 – 4pm Hearings in Alexandra: The Cellar Door, 134 Centennial Ave, Boardroom

Thursday 24th May

9am – 3.30pm Hearings in Dunedin: Scenic Circle Southern Cross Hotel, James Speight Room

Friday 25th May

9am – 12pm Deliberations in Dunedin: Scenic Circle Southern Cross Hotel, James Speight Room

The Hearings reports have been circulated to all Councillors and comprise:

• Folder of all submissions

• Summary of Submissions

• Draft Schedule of Submitters speaking at the Hearings

• Summary of Submissions – to be heard (note this report is subject to change but gives a good guideline)

ENDS

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