Some big discussions are happening in the Teviot Valley regarding the future of its assets in the lead up to the Long Term Plan 2025/26.

New community board member Curtis Pannett told yesterday’s meeting that rates rises were concerning many pensioners, and the proposed divestment of the Millers Flat Hall by the Central Otago District Council (CODC) was also an issue.

The community will have its say on which community halls and buildings the council should retain when the LTP document is publicly released in March, with 23 currently on the chopping block.

Under the Level of Service review, the Millers Flat Hall was on the original list for divestment, “and the perception in the community is that it’s a done deal,” Curtis said.

The Millers Flat hall is on the divestment list but the committee wants to take it over. PHOTO: CODC

That also led to concerns the council was planning on closing the hall to pay for the new Roxburgh pool, despite the Millers Flat committee having extensively fundraised to pay for extensions.

Chair Norman Dalley said he could see why the community would think one asset would close to pay for another, “and it also says to me this board has some work to do.”

The Millers Flat hall committee was currently talking to the Council on how it could retain ownership of its community hall.

Board member and district councillor Sally Feinerman said at council’s meeting in December that it was made clear “it wasn’t up to councillors to decide which halls should stay and which shouldn’t,” because that was not following the due process.

She said some committees did want to take over their halls and were very excited about it, but there were also some that were not being used at all.

“None of these halls are definitely off the table,” she said.

However, Curtis said the fact council had already chosen which halls were preferred to be on the divestment list, including Millers Flat, made it hard for people to trust the process.

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