Council to decide tomorrow on community centre referendum | Wairarapa News | Local News in Wairarapa

Carterton District Council will decide tomorrow whether it will hold a referendum on its proposed $6 million community centre.

Mayor Gary McPhee yesterday said he was unsure what would come out of the meeting, which comes after a fiery meeting between councillors and members of the Carterton Ratepayers Association (CRA) earlier this month. "Who knows, I think we'll just have to wait and see," Mr McPhee said.

CRA member Rex McKay earlier told the Times-Age the referendum would likely be split into two sections, in which residents unconcerned about the cost of the project would mark a box giving the project the green light, or alternatively asking the council to either explore further existing options or not go ahead with the project at all.

The CRA recently collected 2108 petition signatures regarding the cost of the project and the existence of cheaper and alternative options to it, but just 1592 of those were deemed valid by the Carterton district returning officer.

CRA members believed the number of signatures remaining after the cull - representing 27 percent of ratepayers - was still a strong enough mandate to force a referendum.

CRA member Doug McPhail was anxious to see the names that had been crossed off, fearing many of them would have been valid.

"I know at least six people in my area who signed it and moved here in the last six months," he said.

Carterton District Council would fund 50 percent of the $6m construction cost through $2m earmarked from its Major Project Fund and a loan of $1m. The newly-formed Carterton Events Centre Trust would contribute the other 50 percent, or $3m through fundraising.

Funding from the Lotteries Commission and the Eastern and Central Trust and one other charitable organisation has already been applied for by the CECT.