Councillors debate three-waters co-operation

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Northern Outlook

From local democracy reporter David Hill:

Waimakariri’s councillors are divided over whether to co-operate with the three-waters reform process.

The Waimakariri District Council on Tuesday voted in favour of receiving a staff report on a schedule of properties to be submitted to the Department of Internal Affairs, but four councillors voted against it.

Mayor Dan Gordon voted to receive the report.

"Hopefully this is just an academic exercise, because there is a lot of water to go under the bridge," he said, in reference to a pending Court of Appeal case about three-waters infrastructure ownership, and the October general election.

In a shake-up last month, the government is now proposing 10 large regional water service entities across the country, instead of four. It wants the new entities to own the infrastructure, rather than local councils, to better fund future investment. The National Party says it will repeal Labour's changes if it comes to power in October.

Deputy mayor Neville Atkinson said he was concerned about the council’s ability to respond to a natural disaster without the infrastructure and associated staff.

"We are going to have to respond in the event of a natural disaster for years to come even if we no longer own the assets, because our community will expect us too."

Councillor Philip Redmond was among those against co-operating with the reform process.

"We are acting in good faith and that is all very well, but the government hasn’t acted in good faith, it’s not listening to us, so I’m voting against it.

"Giving them this list is like giving the burglar the alarm code."

Three-waters manager Kalley Simpson said the schedule was to help the Department of Internal Affairs's National Transition Unit identify what land would need to be handed over to the new regional entity and what would remain with the council.

"The way the Water Services Legalisation Bill is written, if we don’t put together a list, the default position is that all land that are wholly and partially related to the provision of water services are transferred."

The draft schedule identified 270 properties, including 74 solely used for drinking water, wastewater or stormwater services.

A further 112 properties were used for multiple purposes, 18 were partly occupied by water service assets, and 66 properties were on road reserve, Crown, private or Environment Canterbury land.

PROTECTING WAIMAKARIRI'S COASTAL STRIP


Councillors also voted to re-adopt the Northern Pegasus Bay Bylaw, which was due to expire on 5 July, as an interim measure while council staff conduct a review of the bylaw.

The bylaw provides a framework for protecting the Waimakariri district’s coastal strip, home to native birdlife.

It seeks to restrict vehicle use, horses, motor bikes and dogs.

Councillor Al Blackie said the bylaw needed to have "more teeth" to be effective.

"A lot of the people who offend are locals because they know there’s no teeth."

A working party has meanwhile been established to begin work on a representation review ahead of the 2025 local government elections.

Waimakariri District Council governance manager Sarah Nichols said the last representation review, ahead of last year’s elections, was based on the 2018 Census data.

It was hoped this year’s Census data would be available in September/October.

"The last Census data we used was getting a little old and we know the population has changed, especially in Woodend and in east Rangiora, and there are pockets of growth in other areas."

One of the considerations would be whether the growing urban area of Woodend/Pegasus/Ravenswood needed its own ward, or whether it would continue being part of the Kaiapoi-Woodend ward.