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From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The West Coast Regional Council says it intends to keep "good faith" with ratepayers and not impose a further rates increase based on new capital valuations for the region.
New property valuations came in higher than expected in the … View moreFrom local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The West Coast Regional Council says it intends to keep "good faith" with ratepayers and not impose a further rates increase based on new capital valuations for the region.
New property valuations came in higher than expected in the 2022-23 annual plan.
The council yesterday gave notice it will reset its rates based on a yield increase of 17% against that anticipated in the 2022-23 Annual Plan from revised capital values for the region. It has called an extraordinary meeting for September 21, six days after the postal vote begins for this year's local body election.
However, it says the new valuation yield will not be reflected in this year's rates, with the "status quo" to remain.
The new valuations from QV arrived on July 1, two days after the council approved the rates rise based on what it had consulted the public with in the annual plan.
On June 28 the council approved a 10% rates increase for this financial year, but excluded a planned inflation adjustment of 2.3% which had been signalled in the long-term plan.
Last year, West Coast Regional Council rates went up 30%.
The public notice for the extraordinary meeting said the estimated rateable capital value of the West Coast had increased 15% above that used to set the general rate in June.
Chief executive Heather Mabin said the council had to set its rates to meet the statutory timeframe by the end of June, although it was aware there might also be a variation with the capital value baseline.
There had been a delay at council in being able to run the new capital valuations numbers due to an accounting system changeover at the council, she said.
As it turned out the new QV values "were much different" from what was expected, Mabin said.
Acting corporate services manager Marc Ferguson said they had done rates modelling before the system upgrade, but once the revised values were received some capital valuations had increased by as much as $10 for every $100.
Regardless of the council's intention not to pass on the yield increase this time it was required to give notice to reset the rates based on the adjusted QV values, he said.
The council proposed "in good faith" to maintain what it had previously set but against the new capital value yield figure.
"We're having to stick with the original rates amount posted in the annual plan ... it's the status quo," Ferguson said.
"It's not about us making extra money with the extra QV money."
However, notification of the first rates instalment would probably be pushed out to the end of October.
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A smattering of West Coast Regional councillors and a newcomer trying for a seat in Westland fronted a 'meet the candidates' forum in Hokitika on Wednesday night.
Sitting councillors Debra Magner and Stuart Challenger took to the stage along with Peter Haddock of Greymouth, who is … View moreA smattering of West Coast Regional councillors and a newcomer trying for a seat in Westland fronted a 'meet the candidates' forum in Hokitika on Wednesday night.
Sitting councillors Debra Magner and Stuart Challenger took to the stage along with Peter Haddock of Greymouth, who is throwing his hat in the ring for Westland.
Magner promoted her farming and accounting background and said she hoped to build on her first term's work if re-elected.
This had included a push to bring about better internal reporting systems at the West Coast Regional Council -- including a Risk and Assurance Committee which she has chaired.
This was important for the council to sustainably manage its environmental oversight responsibility on a "path of continuous improvement," to be able to respond to community need and have the capacity to gain and retain external funding for infrastructure projects.
Peter Haddock, a retiring Grey district councillor of South Beach, is a partner in Greymouth engineering firm Equip.
He noted his role in building the Greymouth floodwall in the late 1980s.
Haddock said the regional council currently had "real problems" with a faction across the ward boundaries of Westland and Grey.
Loss of experienced staff and delays in consenting impacted on the council's ability to administer Government funding, which affected the rating districts.
This "loss of unity" sent a bad signal to the Government.
He would focus on this and at the same time "fight for local democracy".
Challenger, an environmental engineer, said he hoped to continue as the need for diverse representation at the table was no different from when he first stood in 2013.
The council needed diverse backgrounds like his to balance the mining, and dairy farming influence.
"I believe the regional council has too many meetings behind closed doors."
The biggest issue the region faced was the impact of climate change which required wider collaboration and "a multi-generational approach".
Two other candidates for Westland, Andrew Campbell and Fritha Templeton, were not present.
Templeton said on Friday she intended to withdraw due to family circumstances.
Council deputy electoral officer Nichola Costley said today the voting papers had been printed, and Templeton had been advised to run a campaign letting people know she was out of the running.
Wednesday night's forum included the five candidates for the Westland District Mayoralty plus several ward candidates for the Westland District Council.
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From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The West Coast is punching above its weight in a programme delivering support for young people seeking work and in apprenticeships.
The Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) has placed 230 West Coast workers in just two years, helping 3000 people … View moreFrom local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The West Coast is punching above its weight in a programme delivering support for young people seeking work and in apprenticeships.
The Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) has placed 230 West Coast workers in just two years, helping 3000 people across rural and provincial New Zealand in the same period.
The West Coast has the third highest MTFJ placement rate in the country, behind Waikato with 357 and Manawatu-Whanganui (293).
But given its relatively low population out of all the regions with just 32,000 people, the Coast is punching well above its weight.
The Mayors Taskforce for Jobs Community Recovery Programme began as a small Covid-19 recovery pilot in 2020 and Westland District has tapped into it.
Two years on the scheme is being held up as a good example of a grassroots employment initiative through a central and local government partnership.
Glacier Joinery in Hokitika are enthusiastic about it after becoming involved while taking on apprentice Lofa Leleifua several months ago.
Sarah Nixon of Glacier Joinery said having the ongoing mentoring support of local MTFJ co-ordinator Charlotte Bradley-Peni was a big advantage.
"It's not just financial but it's really nice for the young guys to know there is support out them for them," Nixon said.
"It has been awesome ... I wish we had known about it sooner."
From Glacier Joinery's point of view, MTFJ offered for Lofa excellent practical support, enabling the company to better support a young person they valued and could see "is going to be an awesome employee".
"It's a good head start."
Those embarking on an apprenticeship could find themselves really stretched as they moved out on their own, Nixon said.
Support to attain a tool kit or a laptop to assist training and tap into vocational skill opportunities like gaining a driver's licence was a big positive.
"It is a big investment and you want to get it right from the start. If there's a feeling of support they are more likely to stick with you all the way through."
Westland MTFJ workforce co-ordinator Charlotte Bradley-Peni said continuing the Community Resilience Programme within the district was a delight.
"It brings us great pleasure to assist rangatahi, like Lofa, in their employment journey."
The Westland team had some great local adolescent and young adult initiatives planned.
"We encourage young people to keep an eye on our social media to find out about them."
The scheme invested in the future of young people, "and by doing so we are investing in the future of our community".
Nationally, in the 2021-22 financial year the ministry contracted $14.7 million to Mayors Taskforce for Jobs. The scheme had exceeded its employment placement target by 25% in the past financial year.
This has included more than 1800 youth not in employment, education, or training, other youth, people displaced by Covid, and people with disabilities.
Of the more than 1800 benefiting, 380 have gained apprenticeships with the remaining participants gaining work.
The programme has also enabled 500 people to gain their driver licence and supported 700 education and training opportunities.
"This is a significant achievement in some of our smallest communities. It means our rural businesses struggling to find skilled workers are employing local people with local knowledge to be part of their team," MSD industry partnerships director Amanda Nicolle said.
"This programme is a leading example of what a strong partnership between local and central government can achieve for communities.
"Ultimately, it's about creating better life outcomes in rural communities and that no one is left behind."
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From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The set up of Health NZ on the West Coast is akin to "building the plane while trying to fly it," Greymouth mayor Tania Gibson says.
Gibson made the comment after it emerged the Health NZ board - which from last month replaced the … View moreFrom local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The set up of Health NZ on the West Coast is akin to "building the plane while trying to fly it," Greymouth mayor Tania Gibson says.
Gibson made the comment after it emerged the Health NZ board - which from last month replaced the former West Coast District Health Board and centralised all DHB governance and management functions - held its August meeting 'behind closed doors'.
Members of the public were not allowed to attend, a summary agenda only was provided for the public, and media were excluded but offered "an update" after the proceedings in a prearranged video call.
The last chairman of the former West Coast DHB, former Labour cabinet minister Rick Barker, said he was "reluctant to comment" either way on how the new structure was unfolding.
However, the DHB's former deputy chairman Tony Kokshoorn said it did not bode well.
"Where you are in any public organisation - whether it be a DHB or a council or anything, being transparent is paramount. You have to have a line open to the public all the time."
Kokshoorn said otherwise, it would lead to speculation: "It straight away opens it up to conspiracy and rumour."
With no open board meeting what might be communicated afterwards could be predetermined, he said.
"The problem is that their view (management) is one that suits them. That's just perfect for the management of a hospital system."
Former board member and long-time West Coast health activist Peter Neame said he viewed the new structure as "little different" from the Labour and National-led radical health reforms of the early 1990s. Those introduced a corporate mindset and political appointees.
Some of the architects from that period were being used as advisers for the current reform, he said.
"In my opinion the set up is from Helen Clark and her adviser Heather Simpson. It's already been admitted by the Labour Government that she is the chief adviser for the health reform," Neame said.
"What's happened with health care is we've gone backwards."
In April the Government announced the West Coast would be the sole South Island location as one of nine locality pilots for Health NZ.
It emerged the model would need the region's councils to help facilitate public consultation. which the local mayors saw as an imposition.
Gibson said that the matter had come up at a recent West Coast mayors and chairs forum.
"We got engaged in it earlier in the piece but we've said we want to wait until there was a clear view what would be required for us. We're still waiting to see what exactly council involvement is."
Whatever it was, it felt like another imposed job on local councils, she said.
"We don't have any extra resources; we're floundering to keep the resources we've got."
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From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Some protection projects planned by the West Coast Regional Council have stalled after key staff left at a crucial stage in their development.
However, work on the ground for projects at Franz Josef, Hokitika and Greymouth and the Buller River … View moreFrom local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Some protection projects planned by the West Coast Regional Council have stalled after key staff left at a crucial stage in their development.
However, work on the ground for projects at Franz Josef, Hokitika and Greymouth and the Buller River are pending or in the development stage, the council's new infrastructure programme manager Scott Hoare said.
Hoare, a Christchurch-based senior project manager for Inovo, said he had been busy over the past month familiarising himself with the various projects.
"It's been a good few weeks just trying to get our heads around where the projects are."
The project to raise the height of the existing Greymouth floodwall on both the Greymouth and Cobden sides of the Grey River would now be split into a five-stage project, he said.
While there were existing consents for the improvements to the wall, the design was being reviewed to ensure it met the existing consents before any work would begin.
Hoere's arrival at the regional council comes after it was warned in May that it risked losing tens of millions of previously granted 'shovel ready' money for projects unless it could show some progress.
It came shortly after the council lost half of its engineering team, including the longstanding operations manager who had been overseeing the projects.
The council has since appointed a governance committee to oversee the projects, while Inovo has been charged with doing the practical project management.
"The council have lost resources here which is why we were asked to be involved. It's up to us to drive it to get an outcome," Hoare said.
Chief executive Heather Mabin recently told the council this included "renegotiating" the contract with MBD, the stage one contractor for the Waiho (Waiau) River.
MBD began in June with some preliminary rockwork on the southern approach to the Waiho Bridge.
Hoare said some terms and benefits of the Franz Josef contract, let under the watch of previous council staff, had needed to be reviewed but that simply amounted to minor "tidying up".
Meanwhile, the council was awaiting consent sign-off to get the bulk of the stage one Waiho floodbank extensions and raising project under way.
That consent should be signed off in about a fortnight.
"The reason we are in delay is we are working through the affected party process. All of the documentation is now with all of the parties," Hoare said.
"We don't think the process will take too long. With the regional council staff that had left, that process had stalled. Things are looking positive in terms of getting that consent."
At Hokitika, a known coastal hazard area, the council was working on two projects -- an extension of the existing seawall from Hampden St north, and a new flood protection work on the north bank of the Hokitika River to protect the town centre, in particular.
Hoare said the seawall extension consent was in the process and then the council would go through "a further stakeholder process," towards the end of next month.
The council hoped to start building this year, with tendering expected in the next couple of months.
The river protection wall was subject to further design before a consent process.
"It will take a little bit to get going," Hoare said.
In the meantime, the regional council is also overseeing the emergency maintenance works upstream of Westport at Organs Island, and expects to tender the work to fix the scoured O'Conor Home stopbank by next month.
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