‘Ambitious’ proposal to lower rates

Tens of millions of dollars could be carved from Waikato’s rates bill under an ambitious proposal designed to improve co-operation between the region’s councils.

Elected members from Waikato’s 12 councils gathered at Karapiro last week to be briefed by the Waikato Mayoral Forum on a series of work programmes it says will generate tens of millions of dollars in savings over three years.

The forum has previously attracted criticism for meeting behind closed doors but the chairman of the forum, MatamataPiako Mayor Hugh Vercoe, said any decisions over the proposed joint operations rested with councils.

Individual councils will now debate the merits of the proposals and haggle over how the region should fund the $1.4 million work programme.

The proposed work covers plan- ning and governance, water and wastewater, economic development and roading. If adopted, the proposals would dramatically reshape local government in the region.

Mr Vercoe said greater cooperation in road operations and maintenance could reap the region up to $30m in savings over three years. ‘‘Roading is one area we can make $2m in savings straight away but the savings could be up to $30m.

‘‘We might, for example, decide to set up a single unit that manages all the roading tenders on behalf of councils. A brief study of different areas of local government has shown us there’s a range of savings to be made but what we now need to do is fine-tune our figures and scenarios.’’

He said councillors appeared receptive to the proposals, with the consensus being that local government reform was inevitable.

‘‘Councils have to be more cost- efficient and we can be. The potential savings are significant and the $1.4m cost of pursuing them is well covered by the anticipated savings.’’

A key feature of the work programme is the creation of a Waikato Plan that aims to reduce the number of plans councils enforce. There are 640 individual plans, strategies, bylaws and policies that govern land use and resource allocation in Waikato.

Mr Vercoe said collaborative planning and governance would reduce costs to ratepayers and provide the region with a strong, collective voice.

‘‘Waikato’s voice is not heard at the moment because it doesn’t have a united voice.

‘‘At the moment if we have an issue with central government we write to them as individual, little councils. But if we take a Waikato Inc approach we can say to central government: ‘ We represent 400,000 people and you need to listen to us’.’’

Waikato Regional Council chairman Peter Buckley said the forum’s work sent a message to the Government that the region wanted to work collaboratively and was serious about providing cost savings to ratepayers.