Ratepayers group wants to be heard
Dannevirke forum discusses annual plan submissions
The Dannevirke Ratepayers and Residents Association will be making submissions to the Tararua District Council, members were told at a meeting. The meeting opened with the ratification of the constitution, read by secretary Hamish MacIntyre.
Those present were told it was a legal requirement for members to understand and ratify the document.
President Craig Ellmers said there had been talk the association was a vigilante group wanting to stir things up with the council.
He said this was not the case and the association wanted to build strong relationships with the council — the mayor, councillors and personnel.
“We want to seek transparency and get access to current information.”
The Dannevirke dam was one of the main issues they wanted to work with the council on.
Ellmers said they wanted a robust repair plan and wanted to be involved.
He said there were members on the committee who had experience in the industry and it was time for some leadership and direction.
The issues with the water, especially the water restrictions, had been going on too long.
One of the issues also looked at was rates for land titles.
Ellmers said the council was
missing out where there might be four or five dwellings on a property but only one title and thus one fee.
Committee members had also been looking at the development impact levy and suggested that all new development should contribute to infrastructure.
MacIntyre said currently anyone who applied for a consent for a new build in town, that consent was
subsidised by ratepayers at 20 per cent.
“Basically someone comes into town or someone builds a house, 20 per cent of that consent is paid by the ratepayer. So in 10 years’ time the value of that house goes up, they sell the house, the ratepayer does not get any of that capital gain back.
“So, you go build a house, you pay for it.”
Ellmers told the meeting there were other issues they wanted to look into.
One of those was the lack of a heavy traffic bypass.
“I think one of the things that stops people going uptown is there’s no bypass. Waipukurau has done a good job and their concerns were that town’s going to fail. It’s doing very well.”
He said it needed to be looked at because it appeared every second vehicle on a weekday during peak hours was a truck and trailer.
Those present were invited to ask about any issues with the first being Three Waters.
Ellmers said the council had money from the Department of Internal Affairs which had been spent upgrading one or two water treatment plants.
He said council chief executive Bryan Nicholson had told him the council was putting together at least two strategies.
“It was likely that if the National Party was elected next year, Labour’s plan for the four entities would be repealed but it was unknown what would happen beyond that,” Ellmers said.
Further issues brought up included the cost of staffing and the condition of the district’s roads.
Submissions to the council were due by May 10, with hearings expected to be held on May 17.