Petition seeks signatures for Nelson/TDC amalgamation investigation
Amalgamation of the Nelson and Tasman councils is back in the news.
A petition launched last week seeks the signatures of 10 per cent of registered voters in Nelson and 10 per cent in Tasman. If the petition gains that number of signatures, the Local Government Commissioner will investigate and recommend the best amalgamation model for the region. A poll would then take place in which electors would have to choose between the commissioner’s recommended model and the status quo.
Nelson City councillor Aldo Miccio initiated the petition. “The issue has been raised regularly for years, but we’ve never actually seen the detail of the best amalgamation model for the region,” said Mr Miccio. “By seeking a Local Government Commission review and consultation process, we will at last get the chance to look at the recommended ‘One Council’ model for our unique needs. Signing this petition does not mean the Nelson and Tasman Councils will be automatically amalgamated. It means that you want to look at the options and vote on the best model for the region.”
Tasman Mayor Richard Kempthorne responded to the announcement by Mr Miccio, saying amalgamation was not needed and would be a significant cost to the community.
“We have just been through a community planning process and there is little support in Tasman for amalgamation. The question of amalgamation for Tasman was also emphatically resolved in the October 2007 elections when any candidate who supported amalgamation was unsuccessful. However Cr Miccio has long been a supporter of amalgamation and he is exercising his democratic right to promote a petition.
“I don’t accept Aldo’s inference that the two councils don’t work together on issues affecting both areas. We do, and with shared services like Saxton Field, Nelson Tasman Tourism and Port Nelson, we get the benefit of amalgamation without losing local decision-making.
“Tasman is a large and diverse district and amalgamation would concentrate elected representatives in the urban majority. We consider this would be detrimental to good representation.”
Mayor Kempthorne said that embarking on an investigation, when neither council had budgeted for it, was unwelcome.
“I’m confident that Tasman residents, when they consider the implications, will see the costs of amalgamation will outweigh any benefits, and it is my expectation that the petition will struggle to get the 10 per cent of electors in Tasman.”
Golden Bay Community Board chairman Joe Bell said the board had submitted on this issue for the last three years.
“The board is neither for nor against any particular model but we do support the idea of investigating the issue properly so that the benefits and challenges of various governance options can be discussed openly. We often hear from Richmond that Golden Bay needs the big urban area as part of its governance structure. Using that line of reasoning it could be hugely advantageous - to Richmond and to Golden Bay - if the big urban area included Nelson.”
Golden Bay’s recent history has shown a strong element of support for maintaining or increasing independent governance, and frequent accusations that a Richmond-based district council fails to understand our rural realities. This has been evidenced in submissions on governance issues. A 2004 meeting exploring actual deamalgamation from Tasman District Council was well attended, and though the initiative did not progress, the idea still has supporters.
Copies of the petition are at the Wholemeal Café.
Neil Wilson
