John Murphy's Levin berm. Photo: John Murphy
- Horowhenua council has voted to compile a report into options for reinstating mowing roadside berms in the district.
- The decision to cut back on the service would save ratepayers nearly $250,000 each year.
- Councillor Jonathan Procter says revising decisions shows a "fundamental lack of integrity"
- Councillor Sam Jennings said council needs to be "agile enough" revisit elements they may have got wrong.
Horowhenua District Council will re-examine its controversial decision to stop mowing road side berms.
The council trimmed back on the service in July saving ratepayers in the lower North Island district nearly $250,000 each year.
But now they plan to hear a report into options to reinstate the service.
In minutes to Wednesday's meeting councillors cited the significant public reaction to the reduction of the service as well as "a noticeable impact on the appearance of townships across the district".
Councillor Ross Brannigan said the volume of the community's reaction to the move had equalled anything he had experienced during his time in council.
"There is a number of unforeseen circumstances that have arisen from this decision. I think - driving around the district - [there are] certainly some clear anomalies and inequities in terms of what we maintain and what we don't," Brannigan said.
Councillor Paul Olsen acknowledged there had been an "uptake of people mowing their own berms" but said - after talking to people in his area - it was clear that there were problems with the plan to rely on locals to maintain the appearance of their berms.
"There is still some cases - especially of older and more inexperienced people in the district - who physically can't do it and that's a real difficulty for them.
"There is some emotion about it. They want to keep their section, their street tidy and they're not physically able," Olsen said.
Olsen said he did not support a full reinstatement of berm mowing but he felt it was important the district looked after the entries and exits to their townships and "have some pride".
Councillor Jonathan Procter said he was "completely against" the notion of reversing decisions made in the long term plan for the district.
"I think this is the start of a process we do not want to go down. We made a decisions under the long term plan to cut costs. To start to revisit those decisions, to start to explore on spending money on issues we've already decided should not continue, shows a complete lack of leadership and a fundamental lack of integrity in our governance role.
"I'm happy to see people getting out there and mowing their berms rather than expecting a level of service that we can't provide any more," Procter said.
Councillor Sam Jennings said the council needed to be "mature and agile enough to consider that we might have got elements wrong".
Jennings said a social media post defending the cut-back received hundreds of responses.
"There was a good ventilation of the very polarised views on this issue. It's important that we demonstrate to both schools of thought on the issue that we're taking another look," he said.
Nine elected members voted in favour of the report and the motion was carried.
Councillors Jonathan Procter, Clint Brimstone, and Nina Hori Te Pa voted against and councillor Rogan Boyle was absent.
The report outlining potential options for reinstating levels of service is due to be presented to the council on 27 November.
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