Waikato District Council Annual Plan Consultation Document

Greg from Ngaruawahia

I hope that people have looked at the Waikato District Council Annual Plan Consultation Document for Waste Water as there is only ONE MORE WEEK to put in your submission. Originally I was in favour of the 'Option 2' that Council seem to be pushing BUT you need to look very closely at the chart on page 11 and the impact of Option 2 in 2018/19, a further increase of $125 or $2.50/week. Considering that the Long Term Plan agreed rate for 2017/2018 was $752.68 and this has been increased by $113 to do Option 1, serious questions need to be asked. The existing budgets will already include money for CCTV work and SCADA upgrades and Council will have money available from depreciation of the existing assets.

I am disappointed that much of the document, Council has produced, has a definite bias for Option 2, when it should be unbiased and straight up as it is supplied to the owners of Council, the ratepayers.

These options have been created by consultants, and now is a great time to suggest to Council that they need to look at ways of trimming the budgets to keep them affordable when many people are struggling. I am not directly affected (as I am on septic tank) but am writing because I know people who will be. Our local Councillors will take our comments to the budgeting meetings so copy in Eugene Patterson and Janet Gibb