A South Wairarapa District Council December workshop included some “invited” ratepayers, while others who turned up were locked out of an event the council claims “paves the way” for working with the community.
The attempt at inclusion came after the 1,000-strong ratepayer/resident petition that called for a cap on rates of three percent (3%) in the coming year after years of double-digit rating increases.
Ratepayer Jim Hedley told The Star that the “Council locked the doors” at the event, “leaving about 1/2 dozen of the public locked out so they could not hear what was said.”
“Why be so secretive? So much for transparency, it is no wonder that Council’s leadership and decision making reputation is only 7% in a recent survey.”
Council CEO Janice Smith described the workshop “as a game changer for the council.
“It was a fantastic opportunity to listen, reflect and do some myth-busting of misinformation that
often surrounds rates and council spending.
“We want to champion a different type of engagement with residents, offering an untainted view about the challenges they and we face. This is our first step in taking our community on that journey.”
Her statement didn’t mention the lockout. Hedley was not impressed.
“Instead of hiding behind locked doors, Council could have called a public meeting. This was a
missed opportunity for Council to explain their case,” he said.
“It shows the lack of leadership, as most of the 1,000 that signed the petition would have liked to have heard what Council had to say.”
Rating Cap lead petitioner Leah Hawkins who attended the workshop as an invitee, said it didn’t address the petition.
“There was no opportunity to engage in how … to achieve what the petition was outlining, or contribute to [the council’s] Long Term Plan this far into their process,” she said.
Ratepayers had asked for genuine and real restraint in council spending, focused on improving operating efficiencies without reducing services.
“We are yet to have acknowledgement from the mayor and councillors that they are committed to showing (the) restraint and efficiency we are asking of them,” she said.
Petition signatory Dean di Bona, also invited to the workshop, said the council had only “tinkered around the edges” of what needs to be done.
“Councillors need to lay out to the council executive bold strategic directives to force the council to navigate the uncharted territory it is in, not fall into line with the same old, same old decisions being peddled by council, albeit in good faith.”
Jim Hedley remains unimpressed as council elections loom.
“ The council is there to serve the people, the people are not there to serve the council.”
