Hi everyone, I am sitting here drafting this column and wondering where have the first two months of 2025 gone? It seems like the Christmas break was such a long time ago.
During February we had the tragic event with the accident occurring on Puruatanga Road involving tourists on the Indi bike and a car. It was absolutely devastating for all involved, the tourists and their families, the driver of the car, the local residents who were the first on scene providing first aid to the injured as well as our local volunteer emergency services.
Thanks to all who responded and provided care for those who needed it. Sadly it is tragic incidents like this that show how our community works and pulls together in times of need. Thank you all.
In March, Council has two consultation processes occurring where we need both ratepayers and residents to provide feedback.
The first is the Long Term Plan with the consultation document being released in early March. Consultation on the LTP will take place over the following month in parallel with consultation on Water reform.
During the LTP consultation there will be a number of events across Martinborough, as well as Tuturumuri and Ngawi where ratepayers/residents can speak with councillors and council staff about the rates increases, projects that council are proposing, as well as what will be spent on major infrastructure across the district.
I’d also like to add that over the last 8 months, council staff and councillors have worked to formulate this LTP and keep the proposed rates increases down. Council staff have carried out five line by line reviews of their budgets while staff and councillors have attended 10 workshops, as well as reviewing many capital projects re-assessing priorities, again all with the focus to keep rate increases down.
Council will also have a LTP rates calculator on the website for ratepayers to enter their address and calculate what their rates will be, depending on which option they select.
Please use this tool to help understand what the impact of the LTP will be on your rates. Submissions can be sent to Council either online, written on the forms at the back of the consultation document or separately.
Late last year the petition which was signed by over a thousand residents and ratepayers wanting a rates cap of 3% for this LTP was presented to council. This reinforced to staff and councillors that the direction we were working towards was the right one. I would encourage everyone who signed the petition, to please read the consultation document and provide feedback to councillors on what you think. There are a number of topics, all with different options which we want to hear from you on.
The second consultation that will be happening at the same time will be council asking ratepayers/residents if we should go with the Wai + T (South Wairarapa, Carterton, Masterton plus Tararua) model and create a new entity to provide water services for these four districts or shall we create a South Wairarapa-based entity to provide these services. That consultation document is being prepared at the moment and again it is important that folks put submissions in so that councillors can make decisions as to who will provide our drinking water, waste water and stormwater services for years to come.
The two main infrastructure topics of interest here in Martinborough are The Square pedestrian lighting project and the de-sludging of the Waste Water ponds.
Firstly, after the contractors for the lighting project were placed into liquidation in December, council has found a Wairarapa-based contractor who will complete the work and I am hoping that this will occur as soon as possible. Once the Martinborough phase has been completed, the pedestrian lighting in Featherston and Greytown will be completed as well.
Secondly, the tender for de-sludging both Martinborough and Greytown Waste Water ponds has been awarded to an Auckland company. No Wairarapa companies submitted a tender and the Auckland company was selected on the basis of the best combination of price and quality. I understand that the de-sludging at Martinborough will be starting this month and take approximately 16 weeks, before they will start on the Greytown treatment plant.
I often get asked why local companies don’t get council contracts/tenders and in a lot of cases, local Wairarapa companies don’t submit a tender. In most cases, council advertises tenders on the Government Tender website which is accessible to both local and national companies.
For council projects, the tenders are assessed by a panel of council staff who are experts in that area, along with an independent expert who is not employed by council. The tenders are judged against a number of criteria, including price, quality of work, expected timeframe, equipment available, health and safety and a number of other topics.
I hope this updates everyone on what is happening on the council front over March. I look forward to reading over a thousand submissions for this LTP!!!!
If you wish to discuss any issues, please email me: aidan.ellims@swdc.govt.nz
