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Carpooling site for ski hills page 2
ANZAC baking
War on Y-fronts
From left: Chloe Laird, Elyse Bongiovanni, Lily Ashe, Sophie Tuck, Caitlin McCarthy-Evans, Ngaio Groenen, Kalani Muirhead, Chloe Murray, Samatha Laird; (back row): Colleen Carr, Tiree Anderson, Aleisha Turner, Sophie Fenn and Caycee Beck at the Community Networks school holiday programme.
page 5
PHOTO: wanaka.tv
Library letters continue debate Laura Williamson
Bra thief upsets grieving families page 8
Strong finish for rowers page 16
rental listings
sunclassifieds
page 15
The exchange of words over the future of the Wanaka Library continued this week in written form, as correspondence from both sides hit inboxes throughout the district. First came a letter from Queenstown Lakes District Council chief executive Adam Feeley. The Wanaka Sun understands he wrote to QLDC staff in response to their submissions on a proposed council restructure. According to QLDC communications manager Meaghan Miller, about 150 submissions were received, a number which represented “well over half the staff.” Changes mooted in a confidential draft report leaked to media two weeks ago proposed staff cuts at the Wanaka Library and combining library services with other functions to create a multi-purpose council service centre. News of the proposal was met with a public outcry in Wanaka, with an estimated 150
supporters attending a protest march in support of the library, more than 100 people attending the April QLDC meeting in Wanaka and a further 30 fronting up at a Wanaka Community Board meeting. It is understood Adam’s letter thanked the staff for their input
In an email to the Wanaka Sun, Adam clarified several of these points. Regarding cost and efficiency, he added that “this is a legal requirement, not a desirable goal”, as per Section 10(2) of the Local Government Act. As for public feedback, he explained,
Community feedback was not part of the review process. The submissions that were considered were those provided by staff. and stated the following points: the cost of council services had to be competitive and that services had to be delivered efficiently; community feedback could serve as context for the review; council services should be, where possible, delivered consistently across ratepayer groups; the letter referred to the library issue specifically; and no jobs would be lost before the end of June.
“Community feedback was not part of the review process. The submissions that were considered were those provided by staff. That said, we are aware of the community views and I think it would be fair to say that they are well-understood and fundamentally nothing put forward is at odds with what the review is trying to achieve.” Finally, regarding the equitable
provision of services, he pointed out, “[council] service should, as best as it can, reflect the views of all and not one group. Currently the majority of the district ratepayers are not regular users of the libraries. Therefore in assessing that service we not only need to consider the wishes of the current users, but also the non-users.” Meanwhile, the Protect Wanaka Library Organising Committee yesterday issued a written reply to an open letter, dated April 17, from Adam and Mayor Vanessa van Uden. The open letter stated that, with regards to the library, “the council is satisfied that consultation, beyond staff members, is not formally required.” In their response, the Protect Wanaka Library group said, in light of the lack of public consultation, they were making “one more submission … before a revised review proposal is finalised.” Continues on page 3...