Remember us in Tokomaru - ratepayers

"Stop building little empires in Levin and take into account that [the council] has ratepayers throughout Horowhenua." Carl Bryan Robinson

A Tokomaru resident wants small towns to get a look in – over ‘‘empire building’’ in Levin – as the Horowhenua council dish out the dollars across the region.

Several submissions to the Horowhenua District Council’s 2017/18 Annual Plan suggest residents want more ratepayer money used to improve Tokomaru.

In his submission, Carl Bryan Robinson said the council had forgotten about ratepayers in outlying communities.

‘‘Stop building little empires in Levin and take into account that Horowhenua District Council has ratepayers throughout Horowhenua, not just in Levin and Foxton.

‘‘We have a major storm-water drainage problem.’’

There was not enough stormwater drainage in the township and the only drainage work done was on Tawa St in 2016, Robinson said.

‘‘We were told that this project was to be continued to cover all of Tokomaru. happened.’’

Another submission from the town of about 550 people, made by the Tokomaru Village and Community Association, requested a bus service that served residents from outlying communities, as opposed to only catering for larger centres, such as Levin.

Tokomaru and Opiki were among places left with little access to bus services, the submission says.

‘‘There is a groundswell of bitterness and resentment developing This has not in these communities over the council’s willingness to collect our rates, but seeming blindness to the lack of services extended to the communities.’’

The association also wanted to see at least one side of footpath constructed on each street in Tokomaru by 2020.

Another prevalent request was allocating $250,000 to shared pathways within Horowhenua.

The council received 75 submissions with some being heard at a council meeting today at 2pm.