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Board Alarmed at Lack of Consultation
Media release
13 June 2011
Board
Alarmed at Lack of Consultation
The Howick Local Board is alarmed at the Minister of Education’s refusal to allow community consultation over the building of the Thurston Road facility for difficult and at-risk youth at Buckland’s Beach.
At a second packed public meeting of over 500 people last night, Board Chairman Michael Williams told members of the community that the Howick Local Board finds the government’s lack of consultation completely unacceptable.
The Board is unanimous in its call to halt the project to allow time for a proper process where the community can voice its concerns and the Ministry can consider alternatives.
The Minister of Education Anne Tolley met principals and trustees from local schools who expressed serious concerns about locating the facility alongside a primary and an intermediate school but she has refused to take their concerns into account.
“Howick is the National Party’s heartland and we are shocked at this drift away from accepted democratic processes towards a government-knows-best attitude. National is supposed to stand for independent freedom and choice and that goes hand in hand with community freedom and choice. Our community wants to exercise that choice.” Says the Chairman
“It is hard to understand why the government would bother to create Local Boards to advocate for communities only to fail to consult us or our community on a major, $6 million, development such as this.”
“In a democracy we consult so that we can take into account local knowledge, preferences and alternatives.”
“We are happy to work with the Ministry to determine alternatives to this troubled youth facility. Alternatives include mainstreaming and location in another part of the Howick Ward or elsewhere.”
The Board has invited the Ministry of Education to present the project to its Board Meeting on Tuesday 21st of June at the Pakuranga Library. Members of the Public are welcome to attend.
A community action group has formed and includes Peter Low, the organiser of the 10-15,000 strong Asian Anti-Crime March in the Howick Ward in 2008.
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