Wellsford meeting calls for supercity boundary change

While the Government may have drawn the Supercity boundaries, it’s Wellsford that is preparing to draw the battlelines.

About 300 people packed the Wellsford Community Centre on Monday evening, September 28, to discuss the new local government boundaries once Rodney District Council is dissolved in October next year.

Most were in favour of everything north of the Dome/Hoteo being included in a newly constituted Kaipara District Council. They passed a resolution, with only seven dissenters, requesting the Government to amend legislation to allow the northern boundary, between the proposed Auckland Supercity and Kaipara, to be re-drawn, preferably on the present political boundary at the Hoteo.

The motion was moved by Gordon Levet and seconded by Greg McCracken.

Mr Levet said when the Government turned its back on the Select Committee recommendation (to draw the northern boundary at Waiwera), they turned their back on the people of the Wellsford district.

“The Local Government Act recognises that boundaries should be set on ‘communities of interest’,” he said. “In rejecting the Select Committee recommendation, the Government has over-ruled its own laws. This decision is also undemocratic – we should have the right to decide who governs us.”

Mr McCracken said Wellsford was a farming community that had little in common with Auckland except the same fast food outlets.

“They want us for the money we can contribute – they certainly don’t want our rugby team,” he said. “If the Government doesn’t listen to us now, then don’t expect Auckland City to listen to us later.”

Several members of tangata whenua spoke about the need to recognise traditional boundaries. There was general concern that Wellsford would not have a voice in the new supercity and local rates would be used to fund city-central projects.

However, those who supported the current northern boundary, which is drawn between Te Hana and Kaiwaka, said they feared runaway development, as had occurred in Mangahwai, if Kaipara was making the rules.

Te Arai resident Mark Walker cited examples, including libraries, recycling services, sewerage and water, and community halls, where he felt Rodney residents were better off, compared to Kaipara. Wayby farmer Pat Nelson felt local farmers had a better chance of their rates going down in the Supercity.

“At the moment, Auckland rates are one-quarter and Franklin rates are one-half what we pay in Rodney,” she said.

Guest speakers were Green MP Sue Bradford, Northland Regional Council chairman Mark Farnsworth and Kaipara Deputy Mayor Richard Alspach. Ms Bradford encouraged residents to push for a boundary change.

“It may be possible to convince the Local Government Commission that the current boundary is not practicable and would be detrimental to the community,” she said. “If that is not successful, then I would strongly urge you to consider a petition under the Local Government Act to the new Auckland Supercity council.”

Both Crs Farnsworth and Alspach said that their councils had not lobbied to extend their boundaries, but if Wellsford came north, then they would be welcome.

PHOTO: The winners of the raffle drawn by retiring Green MP Sue Bradford got a bag of kumaras each, but Wellsford residents are hoping for something better from Government on the supercity boundary. Holding the bucket is James Colville.