​Waipā rejects waters Bill, says model is ‘flawed’

Waipā District Council has reiterated its strong opposition to the formation of four mega entities to manage the country’s three waters services.

Government is seeking feedback on the Water Services Entities Bill which would see responsibility for fresh water, stormwater and wastewater services taken from councils and given to four publicly-owned organisations, governed by independent Boards. Waipā would be part of a central North Island entity, alongside 21 other councils.

In its submission to Government, formally approved at today’s Council meeting, Waipā requested the Bill be withdrawn. Instead Council wants cental government to work alongside local government to design a “more effective model, with better outcomes for the whole community”.

Waipā’s four-page submission says communities have not been consulted over the “proposed appropriation” of ratepayer-funded infrastructure and services. It says the Bill offers “demonstrably poorer outcomes” on a range of measures including accountability to customers, iwi-Māori partnerships, management and operational performance.

Council says the assumptions underpinning the four-entity model are flawed and the cost savings are unrealistic, noting “any real local influence over services will be effectively lost”.

“This Bill does not have cross party support and will not offer the level of certainty needed for long term infrastructure investments,” the submission said.

Should the Bill not be withdrawn, Council called on Government to make changes including:

- confining the scope of the Bill to drinking water and wastewater, leaving stormwater assets and services to councils to manage and maintain;

- including climate mitigation as a key objective;

- ensuring land developers and customers are explicitly noted in legislation;

- ensuring Board meetings of new entities, like councils, be subject to the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) 1987;

- guaranteed regional representation and advice;

- establishing a community forum and enabling a rebate scheme for lower income households.

In its submission, Waipā District Council said it “wholeheartedly” supported the work of Communities 4 Local Democracy. It asked the Select Committee to give consideration to the alternative model put forward by the lobby group, of which Waipā is a member.

Mayor Jim Mylchreest will present Waipā’s submission to the Select Committee in coming months. Click here to see the C4LD submission.