Wanganui District Council has officially responded in writing to the NZ Geographic Board on the issue of the proper spelling of the city and district, following an extraordinary meeting of the full Council last Tuesday.

At the meeting Council voted to retain the current spelling of the Wanganui city and district, and to resist efforts to add an ‘h’ to the spelling.

Mayor Michael Laws moved, and Cr Ray Stevens seconded, the following motion:

“That the Wanganui District Council, on behalf of the wider Wanganui community, advise the NZ Geographic Board that no change be made to the spelling of ‘Wanganui’ – either city or district.”

Those councillors in support of the motion argued that Wanganui had assumed its own independent identity and integrity over the past 170 years, and that a significant majority of residents had voted against change (82%) in a specific referendum in 2006.

Those councillors who opposed the motion argued that Wanganui was misspelt, and that it was the right of Maori to assert the correct spelling of their language. They said that the majority did not have a right to impose its collective viewpoint upon a cultural minority.

Councillors in support of the motion were:

Mayor Laws, Crs McKinnon, Stevens, Dahya, Westwood, Bullock, Jonas & Anderson.

Councillors opposed to the motion were:

Crs Higgie, Wills, Baker-Hogan, Waitai & Vinsen.

Mayor Laws said that, “a good debate and discussion was conducted without upset or rancour. We have now formally advised the NZ Geographic Board of our decision, before they meet in late March to consider the application for a name change by Runanga O Tupoho.”

“Ultimately though it is for the people of Wanganui to decide – not a local runanga and not the NZ Geographic Board. And we have decided – both by referendum and council resolution.”

On Monday, 9 March 2009, Councillors Ray Stevens and Danny Jonas are flying to Australia with two different but important tasks ahead of them.

After landing in Melbourne they will drive to the City of Whittlesea to present Mayor of Whittlesea, Mary Lalios, and her council with a cheque from the Wanganui Australian Bushfire Appeal 2009. The Bushfire Appeal has so far raised $18,300 and Cr Stevens will contribute his own money to bring the total to $20,000. The money will be used to help victims of the bushfires.

Cr Stevens, who is co-ordinating the appeal, has been delighted with the response of Wanganui people. "The bushfire tragedy in Victoria has touched us all and the people of Wanganui have responded with great generosity. The graphic pictures we have seen in the media do not tell the whole story. The horror for a nation and a people can and never will be forgotten. I am proud that Wanganui can support the people of Whittlesea and help them start to rebuild their lives and their homes.”

After their visit to Whittlesea Crs Stevens and Jonas will fly to Wanganui’s sister city Toowoomba, Queensland. Wanganui and Toowoomba have been sister cities since 1981. Both have family-focussed policies. During their visit to Toowoomba they will meet with the Toowoomba Mayor Peter Taylor, and Jane Morey, International Secretariat to discuss ways of strengthening the relationship between the two cities.

Some possible opportunities include:

• Encouraging partnerships between Wanganui district and Toowoomba regional primary and secondary schools for annual student/parent exchanges for sports and cultural experiences.
• Promoting ‘family friendly’ activities and events taking place in the two cities and encouraging families to visit Wanganui/Toowoomba through home-stays, discounted accommodation and organised activities.
• Building on Youth Councillor exchanges of 2007/08 with Youth Councillor exchanges for Youth Forums.
• Sports, cultural and group exchanges between Wanganui and Toowoomba
• Staff swap schemes to encourage staff development and training opportunities as well as strengthening relationships between the two cities.
  

Cr Jonas said, “There are a whole host of opportunities for local people and local businesses to explore through our sister city relationship with Toowoomba. We are looking forward to identifying some of these and working with people in Toowoomba to see how we can start to make them happen. Toowoomba is having their 60th annual Carnival of Flowers in September and we are planning on sending a delegation to celebrate this great event.”

The trip is being funded by Crs Stevens and Jonas at their own expense.

We are looking for 8 new Youth Councillors to join the Youth Committee for 2009. Applications are open to all Wanganui residents between the ages of 12 and 24.

Applications close 16 March 2009.

Details of the following vacancies are available on this page:

Revenue Officer
Applications close 6 March 2009

Mobile Library Driver
Applications close 18 March 2009

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings

Wanganui District Councils’ Joint Forestry – Thursday, March 12 (4.00pm Committee Room 2)
Financial Operating Report to 31 January 2009; Significant issues to 30 June 2009; General Business. Confidential Item: Sale Investigation

Council – Monday, March 16
The Council will consider the reports from committee meetings held in February and March along with reports direct to Council.

Hearings – Thursday, March 26 (Committee Room 2) – To be confirmed

Meeting Cancellation
Council – Tuesday, March 10

Unless otherwise noted, meetings are held at 3.00pm in the Council Chamber, 1st Floor, Municipal Office Building, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui.

Agendas are available at the Customer Services Counter, Municipal Office Building, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui, and the Wanganui District Library two working days prior to the meeting.