Historic council moment

HISTORY was created recently when the Manawatu District Council's regular monthly meeting was held off-site for the first time since the local authority was formed in 1989.

Building renovations at the council's administrative building in Manchester Street meant Mayor Ian McKelvie, councillors and council staff had to move their meeting venue to the St John Ambulance rooms in Bowen Street, Feilding.

Other committee meetings and workshops are also being held at the rooms for the next five months, though public submission hearings for the Draft Long Term Council Community Plan 2009/19 last week were held at Manfeild Park’s stadium suite.

Mr McKelvie felt the change of venue for council meetings did not impact negatively on any decision-making, but distracted council in regard to its normal pattern of operation.

“I’ve always been a strong proponent of the idea that the environment you operate in reflects the decisions you make,” he said. “I’ve sat on a number of boards in pretty average meeting environments and when they have been improved and changed then the decision-making process has also often improved.”

Mr McKelvie said the council chamber was “where we belong” when it came to standard council meetings, but it was an interesting thought for strategy-related sessions or workshops to be at different venues.

“It would be interesting to know what the community thinks as it’s taken a long time to get our community feeling they are welcome to come into the council building and going off-site would be a departure,” he added.