Progress stalled on Pain Farm project

Martinborough Community Board has admitted the “progress” it has made to date in untangling the web of obfuscations created by South Wairarapa District Council with its management of the 85-hectare  Pain Estate has ground to a halt.

“Unfortunately,” said the four-member board in a short statement, “we have not made any real progress since out last update.” 

“We have requested a meeting with the CEO (Janice Smith) to discuss matters in person but this was declined as there was considered no new information available.”

The Community Board followed up by providing a list of questions with the request they be answered on or before its meeting on August 29.

“What we received was an update that a valuation (the council) was waiting on has now been received.”

The Board has “asked for an explanation regarding the purpose of this but have had no response.”

“We have also requested a report on the current condition of the homestead and cottage. As these are regularly inspected, we would hope to receive them promptly.

“We are all aware that there is a lot going on at council at the moment, but we are fully committed to pursue this until we have a satisfactory resolution.”

As reported earlier, the Board has had more than $300,000 refunded to its books by the council after it had been wrongly sequestered and used for purposes outside those set by the Will of George Pain, who gifted his Pain Estate to the town of Martinborough.

At a recent meeting, councillors agreed to retain the district’s three Community Boards _ after they had been slated for disestablishment at the 2025 election.

At least one councillor described the three boards as “not worth the money spent on them.”

A supporter demurred, claiming the removal of the boards would be “a dis-service to the communities they serve.”

A third councillor voted “retain as … the decent democratic thing to do.”

Hearings on the six-yearly Representation Review of district voting options are at the Waihinga Centre on September 18 at 6:00 p.m. and September 19 at 10:30 a.m.