Ōtorohanga District Council will debate the future of the district’s water services delivery model at an extraordinary council meeting on April 8, after receiving financial data in the next few weeks.
Ōtorohanga councillors will decide whether to consult their community on forming a seven-council controlled water organisation, or continue to retain responsibility for drinking, storm and waste water in the district.
Water Done Well. Photo: pexels.com
Waipā District Council, to the north, was the first of the seven councils to identify Waikato Water Done Well option as its preferred option to take to consultation, calling it a model with ‘people, place and environment’ at its heart.
The unanimous decision saw Waipā walk away from a similar deal with Hamilton City Council and Waikato District Council.
Waitomo District Council will decide whether to choose Waikato Water Done Well as its preferred option on March 25. In both cases the status quo, with councils retaining control of their own water services delivery model, is a second option to go to public consultation in their respective communities.
Hauraki, Matamata-Piako, South Waikato and Taupō district councils are expected to decide whether to choose Waikato Water Done Well in the coming weeks and months and consult on handing between 20 and 25 per cent of their operations over to the council-controlled authority.
All seven councils previously signed an agreement to explore the seven-council option, in response to the National Party led Government scrapping the Labour Party’s Three Waters legislation.
Thames-Coromandel District Council is still sitting on the fence on the issue of water.
John Robertson
“I have always said Waipa was essential to the Waikato group,” said Waitomo mayor John Robertson.
An estimated 62,700 people live in Waipa – a quarter of the 207,000 residents of the seven councils.
“It’s really important that Waipā lead the way as the biggest council,” he said.
Relationships between the seven councils were strong, as a result of the discussions, he said.
Ōtorohanga mayor Max Baxter would not be drawn on his preferred option ahead of council discussions on Waikato Water Done Well, but he was pleased Waipā had indicated it was its preference.
Max Baxter
“It gives us the capacity and the size we need,” said Baxter.
Baxter said Ōtorohanga was waiting for further financial information on the impact of Waikato Water Done Well on the community versus an enhanced status quo where Ōtorohanga retained control of its water services assets.
“Over the next couple of weeks there will be much more information,” Baxter said.
“We need to take our preferred option to the community for consultation.”
Waikato Water Done Well advisor and former Matamata-Piako District Council chief executive Don McLeod described Waipā’s lead as “very good news” but the public would be consulted in each district.
McLeod said Waipā’s preference was “definitely an important decision” for the Waikato Water Done Well project.
McLeod said the other councils were working towards identifying their preferred options and he expected that process to be completed by June.
Under the Government’s Local Water Done Well legislation, all councils across New Zealand are required to produce a water services delivery plan by September this year, with a focus on financial sustainability and meeting quality standards.
Robertson is also suggesting that the time is right for Ōtorohanga and Waitomo districts to explore the idea of amalgamating to save $1 million a year.
“He can say what he wants,” Baxter said before citing several examples of shared services that negated the need to amalgamate.
As well as Waters Done Well, Waikato councils are already working together with shared regulatory services and through Co-Lab.
Water. Photo: pexels.com
