2022-06-20 15:31:41 +1200
To: Far North District Council
Paihia Needs a Voice on our Future - bring the June 15th meeting to Paihia!
This campaign has ended.
We ask Council to shift the Paihia Waterfront Project meeting scheduled for Wednesday 15th June 2022 to Paihia and open it to the public.
Why is this important?
Our Mayor and Far North District Councillors plan to hold a meeting about our Paihia Waterfront, outside of Pahia and exclude the public.
They are saying the meeting is "Commercially sensitive". We say "no way!" Commercial interests cannot override open transparent decision-making.
The Council and FNHL know how deeply concerned local residents are:
- Councillor Kelly Stratford receipt of the 4000 signature 'No Sea Walls' petition 2021
- Community Board member Belinda Ward attended the vibrant Paihia public meeting 2021
- FNHL attended the powerful pleas at the Te Tii Marae hui 2021
- SEACHANGE group has spoken since 2020 at Council meetings.
Imagine the future of our community if our needs are not taken into account.
For the sake of our children, our grandchildren, and life in our beautiful Bay, everyone MUST be actively involved in decision-making.
It's nonsensical to exclude Paihia Residents from decisions that affect us - and of course, that's what the law says too:
Section 14 Local Government Act (2002):
'In performing its role, a local authority must act in accordance with the following principles:
(a) a local authority should—
(i) conduct its business in an open, transparent, and democratically accountable manner; and
(ii) give effect to its identified priorities and desired outcomes in an efficient and effective manner:
(b) a local authority should make itself aware of, and should have regard to, the views of all of its communities; and
(c) when making a decision, a local authority should take account of—
(i)the diversity of the community, and the community’s interests, within its district or region; and
(ii) the interests of future as well as current communities; and
(iii) the likely impact of any decision on each aspect of well-being referred to in section 10:
(d) a local authority should provide opportunities for Māori to contribute to its decision-making processes.'
If we are to retain trust in the Council, our needs must be heard alongside those of FNHL and other contractors.
They are saying the meeting is "Commercially sensitive". We say "no way!" Commercial interests cannot override open transparent decision-making.
The Council and FNHL know how deeply concerned local residents are:
- Councillor Kelly Stratford receipt of the 4000 signature 'No Sea Walls' petition 2021
- Community Board member Belinda Ward attended the vibrant Paihia public meeting 2021
- FNHL attended the powerful pleas at the Te Tii Marae hui 2021
- SEACHANGE group has spoken since 2020 at Council meetings.
Imagine the future of our community if our needs are not taken into account.
For the sake of our children, our grandchildren, and life in our beautiful Bay, everyone MUST be actively involved in decision-making.
It's nonsensical to exclude Paihia Residents from decisions that affect us - and of course, that's what the law says too:
Section 14 Local Government Act (2002):
'In performing its role, a local authority must act in accordance with the following principles:
(a) a local authority should—
(i) conduct its business in an open, transparent, and democratically accountable manner; and
(ii) give effect to its identified priorities and desired outcomes in an efficient and effective manner:
(b) a local authority should make itself aware of, and should have regard to, the views of all of its communities; and
(c) when making a decision, a local authority should take account of—
(i)the diversity of the community, and the community’s interests, within its district or region; and
(ii) the interests of future as well as current communities; and
(iii) the likely impact of any decision on each aspect of well-being referred to in section 10:
(d) a local authority should provide opportunities for Māori to contribute to its decision-making processes.'
If we are to retain trust in the Council, our needs must be heard alongside those of FNHL and other contractors.