‘Overwhelming Support' For Ashburton's Standalone Water Plan
Article – Jonathan Leask – Local Democracy Reporter
The community response is clear that a standalone business unit should be the model for the future delivery of the Ashburton Districts three water services.
Ashburton's community is backing a standalone business unit for the future delivery of the district's water services, according to submissions.
The Ashburton District Council is poised to adopt the in-house, ring-fenced delivery model for its Water Services Delivery Plan on Wednesday, which will be lodged with the Department of Internal Affairs by September 3.
Although the standalone business unit was deemed the cheaper option, the cost of water services is expected to rise due to tougher water regulations, a councillor warned.
At last week's submission hearing and deliberations, councillors covered the 234 submissions, which showed 88% support for the council's proposed delivery model.
Deputy mayor Liz McMillan said the key message from the community was 'local control and wanting the council to continue the good work that we have been doing'.
Around 9% of submitters favoured the alternative option of establishing a water services council-controlled organisation (WSCCO), while the remaining 3% suggested another option or didn't specify a preference.
Councillor Russel Ellis said the heavy weighting towards the proposed option was 'probably one of the clearest lots of public submissions I've seen in my time here'.
One of the supporters was former district councillor Stuart Wilson, who was the lone submitter presenting in person at the hearing last week.
'It was important to show support for the option the council decided was the best for our district.
'Sometimes, through thinking the obvious choice will be accepted by rate payers can mean that the opposing view can activate themselves out of proportion to public opinion.
'The overwhelming support for the standalone business unit is an emphatic endorsement of your option that the council favoured.'
He also advised the council that he backs the introduction of water meters to all properties connected to council supplies.
'Not only to monitor usage but to charge according to usage.'
There has been a suggestion that it will become a legislative requirement in the future, 'so the sooner this is implemented in this district, it will be advantaged to comply with legislation and to ensure water is used responsibly'.
In the deliberations, McMillan noted that the council's position is to use water meters only or leak detection.
'[There's] no plan for charging for water, but we could be directed otherwise going forward.'
Ellis wanted it to be clear that while a standalone business unit was deemed the cheaper option, the services wouldn't be cheaper.
'With the regulations that are changing, there will be increased costs.'
The council's standalone business unit will need to meet stricter requirements, including regular reporting to the Commerce Commission, which will ensure that water service charges are fair and sustainable, and ongoing renewals and maintenance are appropriate.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
SDC votes to keep water services in-house
A Southern council has opted to keep its water services in-house following strong community feedback. Southland district councillors last week voted unanimously to run with an "adjusted status quo model" for Three Waters services which allows it to retain responsibility while meeting new requirements. It comes at a time when councils all over the country are responding to government reform on how they want to deliver drinking water, wastewater and stormwater. More than 97% of Southland respondents preferred an adjusted status quo option instead of a standalone council-controlled organisation (CCO). Reasons for the overwhelming vote included local control, accountability, affordability, cost efficiency and a feeling of "reform fatigue". If the council had opted to go down the CCO route, estimated costs of $750,000 would have been required for setup in addition to about $625,000 a year for operating. Mayor Rob Scott attended several meetings during consultation. "It was really good engagement everywhere we went, even with the smaller numbers," he said. The adjusted status quo model will form part of the council's water services delivery plan, as required under legislation. That plan needs to show how the council will be compliant in delivering a satisfactory and financially sustainable service by mid-2028, and must be submitted to the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) by September 3. The council was also involved in a DIA case study looking at how new standards would impact rural councils. Results from the study were received last week, but the staff report had already been prepared for the meeting. Community consultation in Southland ran from April 3 to May 21. In May, the Invercargill City Council also voted to keep its delivery in-house. Consultation has just ended on a proposal in which Gore would join forces with Clutha, Central Otago and Waitaki. • LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- RNZ News
Press secretary sex scandal: Investigation to conclude in August
Michael Forbes had audio recordings of multiple sessions with sex workers, as well as zoomed-in photos of women in public and footage of women getting changed for a night out. Photo: LinkedIn/Michael Forbes The government says it will "consider what information can be made public" about the sex scandal surrounding the prime minister's former deputy chief press secretary, after the investigation ends in August. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has ordered Ministerial Services - run by the Department of Internal Affairs - to carry out a "deep dive" investigation after it was revealed Michael Forbes had audio recordings of multiple sessions with sex workers, as well as zoomed-in photos of women in public and footage of women getting changed for a night out, filmed through a window. Forbes resigned as Luxon's deputy chief press secretary this month after the Stuff investigation looking into the matter contacted him for comment. The recordings, photos and footage was discovered by a Wellington sex worker in July last year. In a statement, the Department of Internal Affairs said its investigation would look into "employment and device policies, procedures and information sharing practices". "The deep dive is expected to conclude in August 2025, at which point DIA will determine what information can be shared and when. "We will not be commenting further as the deep dive is in progress." The statement follows a report by the NZ Herald quoting DIA chief executive Paul James, who said he did not have terms of reference "per se", but that he expected to release the investigation's findings publicly in August. James told the Herald officials were checking the range of security clearances Parliamentary staff had, and with police and the Security Intelligence Service would assess information sharing practices - likely in July. James also told the paper he did not expect the inquiry would prompt wide-ranging changes but he wanted to remain open minded, including around whether employees were expected to raise concerns about a change in their circumstances, or whether departments should check in about that regularly. In statements after the scandal was revealed, Forbes said he had sought therapy over the past year, and should have apologised to the women affected at the time. Police investigated the same month the recordings were discovered and seized two phones in a search warrant, but said the available evidence did not meet the threshold for criminal prosecution. After the scandal broke, the DIA said all Ministerial Services staff were subject to standard pre-employment checks including reference checks, serious misconduct checks and a criminal conviction check when first employed - but this was not required when Forbes was temporarily assigned to the PM's office. Luxon himself told reporters it was Forbes' responsibility "to actually declare those issues or those incidents to us - that didn't happen which is why his employment would have been terminated, obviously". Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
5 days ago
- Scoop
Fears Methven Will Be ‘Overun' With Airbnbs
A Methven resident fears an epidemic of Airbnb owners flouting the rules and over-running residential areas. Paul Dixey is calling on the council to act before it gets out of hand in the Canterbury town. Methven, just over an hour's drive from Christchurch, is popular with skiers and holiday makers. Dixey said three of the 15 properties in his new subdivision are being listed for rental accommodation. "The industry needs better regulation. "If they don't act, I fear it will become epidemic and then how will they stop it?" Dixey said it doesn't seem right that properties are paying residential rates to the council but are operating as a commercial property. "It needs to be addressed when the hotels down the road are paying through the nose to be commercial accommodation operators." The growth of holiday rentals has sparked concerns across the country, with councils considering how to regulate the industry. There are about 290 Airbnb rentals listed in Mid Canterbury. Ashburton District Council compliance and development group manager Ian Hyde said the council is considering how to handle the increase and impact of the short-term rentals. "Council staff are looking at all these issues currently and have been reviewing work done by other councils. "There is a workshop planned with councillors this month on the wider subject of Airbnbs in our district." Hyde said the district plan allows for visitor accommodation as a permitted activity for up to five guests. "If a property was advertising for more than that, they would need to stop or get a resource consent to operate. The council doesn't comment on specific enforcement complaints, but investigate where non-compliances are found. "Sometimes people make an application once they realise that what they are doing requires consent. "Council has the power to enforce the rules of the District Plan under the Resource Management Act, this can include fines, and where appropriate through the Courts. However, we prefer to work with people to address issues where we can." Dixey said he felt the rules hadn't been enforced so far. "We have no objection to them taking five [guests], but one has been advertising up to 12." He said the majority of groups are fine but you can get "that one group that they have no control over". The rental owners are not onsite so do not know how many people turn up and can mot monitor behaviour, he said. One property owner has applied for a retrospective land use consent to carry out visitor accommodation for up to 11 people. The consent document states the house would only be available for 90 nights a year. Dixie said it could set a dangerous precedent that could result in residential areas being overrun by temporary accommodation, he said. "What's to stop every house on the street applying for consent to be an Airbnb. "You might as well turn the whole place into a commercial accommodation area as the zoning rules aren't worth the paper they are printed on."
