South Waikato rates rise one of the lowest in the country

Monday, 9 September 2024

South Waikato ratepayers will get one of the lowest rates rises in the country this year.

The South Waikato’s council has adopted its long-term plan by majority vote, but not before its chief executive had some stern words to say about the difficulties faced by staff.

Earlier this week, the South Waikato District Council adopted its long-term plan (LTP) for 2024 - 2034, approving an 8.9% rates rise for the first three years of the plan, which is one of the lowest rates increases in the country.

Chief executive Susan Law was the subject of personal attacks by members of the public during the process, which sparked a code of conduct complaint against mayor Gary Petley made by Putāruru ward councillor Marie Farrell.

South Waikato mayor Gary Petley said council staff had done their best to keep rates rises down to 8.9%.

The mayor was cleared of the code breach after an independent review in August.

Law said putting the LTP together “isn’t just a case of putting some numbers on a spread sheet … it’s been 12 months of driving down costs … and changing the way we work in order to provide the best value to the community of our district”.

“It’s very important because there has been public criticism of our staff, their competence and their motivations.

Putāruru ward councillor Marie Farrell said the council had not listened to the community and did not vote to adopt the council’s long-term plan.

“Let me say I have worked in a large number of councils and the team we have here at the South Waikato District council is one of the most dedicated, most competent and most importantly, has the community of the district at its heart.

“What we have managed to do is recommend an average rates rise which is one of the lowest in the country … all while facing a 30% increase in local government inflation … it does the basics as brilliantly as the Prime Minister would like us to do.”

The council received a record number of public submissions on its LTP with more than 60 people being heard in person during deliberations.

The council will spend $270m on capital expenditure over the life of the plan, including a $150m investment in the district’s three waters infrastructure and a $17m investment in extending the life of the South Waikato Indoor Pool in Tokoroa.

Mayor Gary Petley said councillors were given a clear message they must maintain existing infrastructure, and “landed on a plan that balances the need to continue to deliver core services and make urgent infrastructure upgrades, while cutting our cloth and not overspending”.

“Through this plan we’ll also create an avenue for new homes, jobs and opportunities that benefit generations to come.”

Putāruru ward councillors Marie Farrell and Sandra Wallace, and Tīrau ward councillor Kerry Purdy, voted against adopting the plan.

Farrell said it was a lost opportunity “to do their jobs properly as a governance team”.

“I didn’t receive enough financial information to vouch for this LTP, we didn’t go line by line to find savings and we didn’t lead the process.

“I don’t think we have listened to our community.”

She said the council “should not be taking a lead in housing development, not stepping into education, not delving into job creation and consultation - and the staff increases and investigation costs these entail”.

Purdy said the council “heard loud and clear people weren’t happy - they emphasised such large [rates] hikes were unsustainable”.