Decisions on major Cromwell projects must still be made using the voice of the Cromwell Community Board (CCB), despite the Central Otago District Council’s plan for districtisation.

A submission from CCB chair Anna Harrison, on behalf of the board this week, made it clear that Cromwell board members were not happy about the proposal.

All community boards have been asked to make submissions on the proposal to move functions of the council to a district-wide funding model, and away from the current ward-based model.

Council said in its report, the effect of the proposal was to bring the management and funding for parks and recreation, cemeteries, community facilities, swimming pools, museums and property in line with other functions already managed district-wide like roading and three waters.  

The intention was to make rates equitable across the region, accounting practices more efficient and rates bills more straight forward for the community. 

The CCB believes these claims of intent have been made with no supporting evidence to back them.

“The board is concerned about the speed with which these changes are being implemented and the number of changes being made concurrently. What will this materially mean for the ability for our board to represent the interests of the Cromwell community in a meaningful way when council decisions are being made for functions, services and projects in Cromwell?”

The CCB was outspoken several months ago when it accused council of making predetermined decisions about the way that boards would function in the future through the Delegations Register.

“The Board considers that future functions, vision and ways of working can only be addressed through clearly defining delegations. Delegations must establish the ways that council will partner with the board and must be explicitly written to ensure strong local voice is included in district wide decision making.”

Cromwell Community Board chair Anna Harrison. PHOTO: File

The submission stated that the board’s voice on major Cromwell projects and the maintenance or changes to any level of service must still be heard with defined and tangible influence.

“Big projects like the town centre redevelopment must have a community voice. Recent decisions that effectively removed the board’s voice in the development of the Cromwell town centre project and the loss of the funds that were put aside in the last LTP (Long Term Plan) for this project have already happened, and the discussion at the workshops on continued districtisation appear to indicate that this is an assumed outcome of these changes.” 

The CCB submits that a ward-based opinion must be included in reports to council for ward-based projects, and the board must receive formal reports so that input can be sought at meetings before the report goes to council for decision. 

The CCB along with the Cromwell community would like an assurance that representation and local voice will not be diminished as a result of changes to a district funding model and that the very real needs of a town with a rapidly growing and changing population will be given full consideration by council.

“It is still unclear what the board stands to lose and hence it follows that the district does not understand what it stands to gain because of these proposed changes.”