The flood of letters opposing the council's Pilot Bay and Marine Parade one-way proposal highlights the need for Mount and Papamoa residents to have a better say in decisions that affect their community.

The answer could lie in the establishment of a community board for the ward. Boards act as an advocate for their community and a council is required to consult with it on local schemes as a mandatory first step instead of allowing silly ideas to be launched without notice or consultation, solely on the strength of a single councillor's whimsy or lobby group pressure. For its part, the board is required to work with local organisations and consult with the community.

The council is legally bound to consider a request for a community board when it carries out its representation review next year. The council doesn't have the last say on the matter: if it turns down the request, an appeal can be made to the Local Government commissioner. Currently there are 110 community boards in New Zealand.

One local community organisation has started looking into the process of making a Mount/Papamoa Community Board request. Public support will be needed.

B Scott, Papamoa Beach