Whaingaroa Ward Councillor Lisa Thomson joined us in the studio to announce that Waikato District Council has officially agreed to partner with Hamilton City Council to form a new water governance entity. The decision, made last Friday, sets the stage for an independent, Council-Controlled Organisation, that will manage drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services for both Hamilton City and the Waikato District.
“We already have strong ties with Hamilton City Council due to our proximity in areas like Ngaruawahia and Tamahere,” Lisa explained. “This collaboration allows us to explore shared services and improve efficiency.”
There has been a period of uncertainty following the scrapping of Labour's Three Waters reforms and while there is still more Three Waters legislation to come, this decision means WDC will be able to consult with the community and talk about costs in the new year.
While other smaller councils like Matamata-Piako are yet to make a decision, Lisa says there will be opportunities for other councils to come on board in the future, with a regional waters entity the most-likely solution.
The regional approach addresses funding issues that have led to decades of underinvestment in water infrastructure and the urgent need for councils to improve water services. This need became particularly evident after the 2016 campylobacter outbreak in Havelock North caused 5500 of the town’s residents to become ill. This event prompted the previous government’s Three Waters reforms.
Over the next 30 years, New Zealand will need to invest more than $120 billion to maintain and upgrade its three waters infrastructure. However, under the current system, these costs could be too high for many communities to bear.
As councils nationwide face challenges with Three Waters funding, Lisa says the partnership between WDC and Hamilton City will help ease financial pressures.
“Going into the relationship with another Council increases our ability to to get loans and our debt capacity goes up. Then we can actually spread those costs out over time, rather than burdening it all at once for our ratepayers.”
“The rates will go up regardless of what we do, because there's a cost to this work. Three waters is hugely expensive.”
While the exact figures will be determined in early 2025, the decision will inform the councils' long-term spending plans, which will go out for public consultation in March. "We understand that affordability is crucial," said Lisa.
Waikato District Council Appoints New CE to Navigate Waters of Change
Lisa also discussed the appointment of Waikato District Council’s new Chief Executive (CE), Craig Hobbs. Lisa says Hobbs brings extensive experience in local government and business leadership, and will officially take up the role in February 2025.
Hobbs steps into the role during a period of intense change, including the Three Waters reform and increasing funding challenges. He succeeds outgoing CE Gavin Ion, who has served in the position for more than two decades. To ensure a smooth transition, Gavin Ion will remain involved in a support capacity, focusing on Three Waters collaboration with Hamilton City Council.
Lisa acknowledged Ion’s contributions during his tenure. “A lot has happened in those two decades. I really want to acknowledge the work Gavin has done for our community,” she said.
Lisa, alongside fellow incumbents, Mayor Jacqui Church, Deputy Mayor Carolyn Eyre, Cr Eugene Paterson and Cr Janet Gibb, were on the selection panel to appoint the new CE, which attracted 57 applications from a wide-ranging pool of candidates. Lisa says the panel were looking for someone with, “An understanding of local government,” and with demonstrable skills transforming organisations.
Hobbs’ previous roles include Director of Regulatory Services at Auckland Council and CE of South Waikato District Council. He has also worked in the disability sector and at the New Zealand Maritime Museum.
Erosion at Papahua Spurs Mitigation Efforts
A solution to the erosion at Papahua might be about to happen after years of concern. Raglan Holiday Park Papahua’s Governance Board agreed to investigate solutions at a recent meeting to see what can be done about the erosion between the walkbridge and boat ramp.
Lisa highlighted that the problem is encroaching on sensitive sites like the urupā (cemetery) and threatening the longevity of the holiday park and playground. “We’ve asked engineers to undertake a desktop exercise to explore erosion control options,” Lisa explained. The same team that worked on the stormwater upgrade at the holiday park and the Pūtoetoe Walkway redevelopment will investigate.
Some ocean experts recommend the installation of a groyne under the new bridge to stop the process and recreate the groyne-like approach to the old bridge. However, hard seawalls have been a point of contention, as experts warn they can cause more problems than they solve.
Lisa acknowledges that while council has made a decision to focus on managed retreat rather than implementing rigid, hard solutions, this particular area of erosion has been associated with the removal of the old bridge, not climate change. Work on assessing these options is set to begin in the new year, with the findings guiding the next steps for this project.
It’s Pūtoetoe Walkway not Wi Nera Walkway
The walkway, previously referred to as Wi Neera by council staff, has now officially been named, Pūtoetoe Walkway, in recognition of its historical significance. The name reflects the original name for the land at Pūtoetoe Point, where the jetty is located.
“The restoration of old names to the landscape is awesome,” Lisa said, commending the collaboration with local hapū in reclaiming culturally significant names.
Preparing for a Busy Summer in Raglan
With summer approaching, Lisa is urging residents and visitors to minimise their environmental impact by bringing their reusables and being mindful to, ‘Leave no trace.’ Overwhelmed rubbish bins have been a recurring issue over busy summer months, with Xtreme Zero Waste staff unable to complete their circuit of street-bins before they fill up again. Visitors are being encouraged to take their rubbish home if bins are full and a waste ambassador will be on-site at Papahua this summer to encourage people to correctly dispose of their rubbish and recycling.
Residents and visitors can look forward to the famous Raglan Lions New Year’s Eve Parade and community-funded midnight fireworks. “Be kind to our manuhiri (visitors) and take care of our beautiful environment,” said Lisa.