Committee or board? Decision on Amberley’s representation looms
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Around 5000 North Canterbury residents will soon learn if they will fall under a proposed new community board, which will represent their views to council.
The Local Government Commission heard an appeal against a proposal to establish a community board for the Hurunui District Council’s south ward on Tuesday morning.
Councillors who supported the proposal said it was ‘‘more democratic’’ and would better represent the south ward's growing population, with Amberley, Leithfield and two beach communities within the ward's boundary.
Eleven objections were received, but just one, Amberley District Residents’ Association chairperson Roy Myers, gave an oral presentation to commissioners.
Myers said there was no evidence to support the change and he believed the community board would reduce representation.
‘‘The community board will not have the same level of representation or activity which is on the ward committee.
‘‘Amberley is the largest area with an expanding population. It has grown significantly and stands to grow even more.
‘‘Leithfield is an historic village with a very active community, and Amberley Beach and Leithfield Beach face challenges with climate change, sea level rise and the possibility of managed retreat.’’
Councillors voted in favour of replacing its south ward committee with an elected community board in June, following a representation review.
The proposed community board would have five members elected at large, plus the four ward councillors and the mayor.
The south ward committee comprises nine community members elected at its first meeting in a council term, plus the four ward councillors and the mayor.
Community members include representatives from residents’ associations, the Amberley Reserves Advisory Group, the Hurunui Youth Council and three independent members.
Myers said he was the elected representative of the Amberley District Residents’ Association on the south ward committee.
But when questioned by the commissioners, he acknowledged that while the entire town was invited, only around 30 to 50 people attended the residents’ association’s annual meetings.
Hurunui mayor Marie Black said the council believed a community board would provide more strategic direction.
She said a walking and cycling fund of $370,000 has been established from development contributions since 2010, with decision making delegated to the south ward committee.
But the committee has been unable to agree on how to spend it.
‘‘We believe an elected community board would be able to make a more strategic decision,’’ Black said.
Council chief executive Hamish Dobbie said Census figures indicated the south ward had a population of 5620 in 2023, up by 410 since 2018.
This represented growth of 1.53 percent a year, compared with the average growth of 2.3% a year since 2001.
But Dobbie said the council had concerns with the Census data and believed the growth was considerably higher, as it did not match the council’s own data including consents issued for new houses.
The Local Government Commission said it aimed to communicate with the council in four to six weeks.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Older residents call for Amberley bus service
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A lack of public transport and access to healthcare were among the issues raised in recent a survey of older residents in the Hurunui district.
The Hurunui District Council surveyed residents aged over 60 during August and September, as it looks to develop an age-friendly community plan to support an ageing population.
There are currently no public bus services in Hurunui, which includes the town of Amberley, about 40km north of Christchurch.
Community development facilitator Vanessa Nelmes said public transport is a big issue for many elderly people, while accessing medical care when needed remains a concern.
While there are a number of community vehicle trusts operating in the district, respondents felt a regular bus service from Amberley to Rangiora and/or Christchurch is needed.
Hurunui mayor Marie Black has been among those advocating for a bus service, but for now Environment Canterbury says there are no plans to offer public transport in the district.
The distance to medical care in Christchurch and the lack of a dentist were also mentioned, Nelmes said.
The survey received 213 responses from residents aged from 60 to their 90s, with half coming from residents in the south ward, which includes Amberley.
Nelmes said the survey found a majority of the respondents felt confident using computers, internet and / or smart phones.
‘‘It kind of puts that myth to bed that old people don’t like using technology.
‘‘I think we really do need to change our mindset compared to what is really happening in our community.’’
Although about 50 respondents said they were not confident using technology, showing there was still a need for providing support.
The survey also asked if people would like to improve their skills with technology and it was ‘‘evenly split’’, Nelmes said.
A concerning trend in the survey was a number of respondents who said they felt socially isolated, especially those new to the community, she said.
‘‘We had half a dozen people who replied along the lines, ‘you have to put yourself out there, but it’s how to make the first step’.’’
The survey has been analysed by the age-friendly steering group, which plans to widen its membership to include different agencies such as district nursing and is seeking a rural voice, Nelmes said.
Council staff plan to do a stocktake of services available for senior citizens in the district, before beginning work on a draft age-friendly plan.
Environment Canterbury public transport strategy and planning manager Sonia Pollard said there are no plans to extend bus services into Amberley or the wider Hurunui district.
‘‘The focus for public transport improvements is on delivery of the core routes in Christchurch and the direct services between the main urban areas in Waimakariri and Selwyn districts and Christchurch City.
‘‘Service improvements are reliant on funding through local rates and the National Land Transport Programme.’’
She said routes outside large urban areas are unlikely to meet the funding criteria in the 2024/27 National Land Transport Programme.
But as part of the 2025/26 annual plan staff are considering how to best serve the rural community, including assessing new routes outside the Greater Christchurch boundary.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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