Ashburton council seeks Three Waters money, retains opposition

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:

Take the money while resisting the source.

The Ashburton District Council plans to seek $4.2 million in the first tranche of the government’s Three Waters Better Off funding but it remains committed to its opposition to the planned reform.

It’s a conflicting situation and councillors asked for clarification that accepting the funding was not Three Waters support.

Chief executive Hamish Riach said accepting the money didn’t detract from the council’s opposition to the reforms but the council will be required to continue to cooperate.

The council is proposing a clause in its application, ensuring any opposition to the reforms was not a cause for termination of the funding, but Riach was not confident the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) would accept it.

It’s not what the council plans to spend the money on but the terms of the agreement will likely require further negotiation he said.

What the council planned to spend the money on was questioned by councillor Stuart Wilson, who suggested it was a prime opportunity to solve some roading issues rather than a slush fund for “something extra that is not that important”.

He asked if a further $200,000 for the new library was “the most pressing need for $200,000 on the approval rating we have got for roads and footpaths”.

Riach said the council had to comply with the conditions set out by the DIA in which the council can only seek funding for projects there are not in its long-term plan and it can’t be used for three waters projects.

The timing of the Fairfield Freight Hub meant it is not part of the LTP providing the opportunity to seek the council’s $2.3m loan funding contribution towards the $14m project- which is being led by the Wareing Group.

There are seven projects in total, including $150,000 to assist in the potential relocation of the South African War Memorial from Baring square East over to Baring Square West.

The council is eligible for a total of $16.8m of Better Off funding, with $4.2m available now and the second payment of $12.6m earmarked for 2024 - after next year's central government elections.

The council will also receive $437,000 of transition support funding to assist with the three waters transition work it is required to do.


Better off Funding projects
- Fairfield Freight Hub $2.3m
- Additional footpaths $900,000
- District playgrounds $200,000
- Ashburton Library & Civic Centre (equipment in specialist spaces) $200,000
- Water treatment & changing rooms at district swimming pools $200,000
- Digby Park Toilets $250,000
- South African War Memorial relocation $150,000