Stratford mayor backs independent water plan despite pressure from Government

Tuesday, 19 August 2025

Stratford District Mayor Neil Volzke said councils were asked to consult their communities on water policy and it was acting on what its community wanted. (File photo)

The Government is making a mockery of its own policy if it overrules his council’s decision to remain independent on water, Stratford District’s mayor Neil Volzke says.

All councils across the country have been asked to consult on how they deliver their three waters, with a view to councils establishing region water entities enabling them to collaborate to manage water services, offering potential benefits like increased borrowing capacity.

In Taranaki one option was for Stratford, South Taranaki and New Plymouth to combine. However the Stratford District Council was unanimous in its vote on June 23 to stay independent following a clear message from residents, with 92% against the idea of joining a regional entity with New Plymouth and South Taranaki district councils.

Following the vote, a letter arrived from secretary for local government Paul James of the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), well before the department saw the council’s plan.

“Through analysis of your long-term plan, the department has concerns that the council will face significant barriers to achieving financial sustainability through a standalone model,” the letter said.

“As part of a Taranaki regional grouping, we believe that your council would have been significantly better placed to address these barriers.”

The overwhelming feedback to Stratford District Council was that residents wanted their water infrastructure to be managed locally. (File photo)

If the Government deemed the council’s plan was not financially sustainable, it could appoint a ministerial adviser to oversee reconsidering the decision.

The implied threat that the Government could step in was “an interesting twist” in the process where councils had been instructed to consult their communities, Volzke said.

“We did that, and 92% of submissions responded that they wanted a local management put in place.

“That’s was what we agreed to do, but the DIA still has the right to override that.

“In my view that makes a mockery of the consultation process.”

Volzke said the letter asked council to provide a draft service delivery plan by July 31.

“We weren’t in a position to do that because we were in the process of having it checked legally and an independent financial review as well,” he said.

“It’s our view that following the professional advice that we have been given, that both options satisfy the criteria set by the Government.”

The completed plan was sent to the DIA about three weeks ahead of the September 3 submission date.

Volzke said most councils that had opted not to join a regional entity had received a letter of some sort along those lines.

He expected a fairly fast response from the Minister to the plan.

“It’s a wait and see situation,” he said. “At this stage we have had no further response from them.

“Our plan has been evolved over six years of data collection and analysis and we wouldn’t have made it available as an option if we didn’t believe it was possible to achieve it.”

At Infrastructure NZ’s Building Nation’s conference in Wellington on August 7, Local Government Minister Simon Watts warned he would use the “stick” if councils do not produce financially sustainable water service plans by September 3.

Volzke said councils had been caught in the middle of trying to do what the law said, do what the Government wanted and at the same time act in the best interests of their communities.

“I think it’s important for us to remember these are not our reforms, they are government reforms and we never asked for them.

“As Stratford mayor my role is to get the best outcome for the Stratford community – that’s where my loyalty lies.”

He said both the joint entity and local models had advantages and disadvantages.

If the DIA rejected the council’s plan, they would return to the table for discussions with neighbouring councils, he said.

“If they accept our local model, it’s let’s get on with it and get the new model set up and running as required by the law.

“We will wait and see what transpires. Either way we have a lot of work to be done.”

South Taranaki District mayor Phil Nixon said the STDC, which also voted not to join the entity, did not receive a letter from the DIA before its plan was submitted.