Home - Minutes - 18 October 06Notes from Referendum Working Party held 18 October 2005 at 4.00pm
Present: Mayor Michael Laws, Crs Dahya, Hughes and Westwood, Ian McGowan, Kevin Ross, Stuart Hylton, Helen Lawrence, Malcolm Hunt, Jay Paterson and Greg Tichbon. Minutes: Helen Couper.
Apology: Cr Dot McKinnon.
Resolutions from the Council’s meeting held 19 September 2005:
- That the two by-elections and Referendum ’06 be held together.
- That a Referendum ’06 Working Party be formed consisting of Chairman – Mayor Michael Laws, Deputy Mayor Dot McKinnon, Cr Murray Hughes, Cr Randhir Dahya and Cr Don McGregor.
- That Cr Sue Westwood be added to the Referendum ’06 Working Party.
- That the polling date for the by-elections and Referendum ’06 be set for Saturday,
11 February 2006.- That Referendum ’06 includes the topic of water fluoridation.
- That Referendum ’06 includes the topic of water softening.
- That Referendum ’06 includes the topic for the abolition of urban/rural electoral
wards for election at large.- That Referendum ’06 includes the topic of reducing the size of the Council.
A motion – That Referendum ’06 includes the topic of the spelling of Wanganui, was put and lost.
Mayor Laws said that although the motion regarding the spelling of Wanganui was lost the issue would be discussed at the next meeting of the Strategy Committee. He thought it should be included in the planning for Referendum ’06 as the Council, at its meeting to be held on 31 October 2005, may resolve to include the topic of the spelling of Wanganui in Referendum ’06.
Election of candidates
- Nominations open 20 November 2005 and close 23 December 2005
- Voting papers send 20 January 2006
- Referendum publicity/information out Monday, 5 December 2005
- Need to put out booklet of candidates – photo and 150 words – part of by-election process.
- Summary goes out with voting papers on 20 January 2006
- Kevin to check if we can legally include referendum with voting papers.
- One sheet of paper for voting – Noeline and Kevin to design voting paper – profile for next Working Party meeting
- Need to check if Council needs to pass a resolution that Referendum ’06 is non-binding.
Fluoridation
- Helen Lawrence to get copy of referendum that Grey District Council held.
- As it is initiative of District Health Board (DHB), they should be responsible for providing information.
- Suggested if DHB pushing for fluoridation they should be asked to pay for it – Ian said he knows of no Health Board that covers the cost of fluoridation
- Suggested ask Rosemary Hovey to approach DHB for information
Water softening
- Ask Julian Reweti for options available – most effective one
- Need cost of hard water to the economy and individual householders
- As part of Aramoho has soft water now, may influence poll
- Need cost of putting in new bore against cost to soften water for next Working Party meeting
- Need to have most economical cost – meeting.
- Ask Julian Reweti to next Referendum Working Party meeting.
Spelling of Wanganui
- Need information – pros and cons – cons relatively well known
- Kevin asked to approach Tupoho (pre-empt Strategy meeting) and ask Tupoho to write a paragraph – stress need for urgency. If they don’t provide it before next Working Party meeting we will write it.
Abolition of Urban and Rural wards
- To be answered by yes or no
- Question - would you favour abolishing the rural and urban ward in favour of election of Councillors at large
- Council to take charge of this information
Helen Lawrence in charge of bringing back rudiments of information back for Working Party’s next meeting. Estimate costs to be included.
IT need to set up Referendum website.
Need more information this time
Need timetable for releasing information
Not critical that Referendum results be released the same day as by-election results.
Next meeting – 4.00pm on Thursday, 27 October 2005 in Committee Room 2
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