NO TO AMALGAMATION

The power to force a poll on council reorganisation in Hawke's Bay may lie with just two people.

The peculiarity arises because Hawke's Bay Regional Council's boundaries include pockets of two other districts, Rangitikei and Taupo.

The Local Government Act allows 10 per cent of people in any affected district to force a poll on the final reorganisation proposal put forward by the Local Government Commission.

This means two people in Rangitikei could sign a petition to force a poll on the 108,530 other electors living on 1.3 million hectares across Hawke's Bay.

The commission said on Tuesday that it was recommending the merger of Napier City, Hastings, Wairoa and Central Hawke's Bay district councils, and Hawke's Bay Regional Council into one unitary authority.

Within the regional council boundary lie 61,162ha in Rangitikei and 78,463ha in Taupo, with 16 and 40 electors respectively.

The commission recommends the Rangitikei block becomes part of a new Hawke's Bay council, while the Taupo block remains as it is, with the new council responsible only for regional council functions there.

One of the small but influential Rangitikei group is Jack Roberts, who lives on the 10,700ha Timahanga Station on the Gentle Annie road that connects Hawke's Bay and Manawatu.

He said he and wife Jenny were about 75km from Taihape to the west and Hastings to the east, but were "Hastings oriented as far as a lot of things go".

But because they get mail only once a week, and it had not arrived this week, they were unaware of the reorganisation proposal. Mr Roberts said he would not make his mind up until he had found out more.

It seems likely that the proposal will go to a referendum, anyway, with those representing the anti and pro-amalgamation movements both calling for a poll.

The Roberts pay rates on their property to three councils: Rangitikei and Hastings districts, and Hawke's Bay Regional Council. "It's a very involved set-up. It makes it awkward at times."

"Council has not had the opportunity to discuss this or talk with the 16 people involved. A number of them probably identify more with Hawke's Bay, due to their location."

His council had recently put millions of dollars into the sealing of the Gentle Annie road "and if we lost that road I think we'd at least ask if they could please repay us the loans we took out".

Taupo Mayor David Trewavas said he was happy with the recommendation. "Those people live in our district, come into the local libraries and use local facilities, so it makes sense they contribute to our rates."

A petition signed by 10 per cent of electors in any affected district can trigger a poll across the entire affected region.

A petition cannot be started before the Local Government Commission's final proposal is issued. There is no set date for this, but submissions close on March 7.

If a poll occurs, all costs will be borne by each council (split proportionately according to population). Voting would be done by post at a date determined by the commission.

If a proposal is supported by a poll, or there is no poll, a reorganisation scheme is prepared. From the day after a final proposal is announced, councils are banned from spending money or using resources to promote or oppose the proposal.