The Taupō District Council has joined a growing chorus of local bodies denouncing the pace of the government’s proposed three waters reforms.

While councillors toned down some criticism and tightened up the long-winded language of a draft submission prepared by council officers, the version they unanimously agreed to send to Wellington still insisted the reforms come to “an immediate stop.”

In introducing the item at Tuesday’s monthly meeting, general manager operations and delivery Kevin Strongman said the council was not convinced that the model proposed to accommodate new water standards was “the right one” and the council was totally opposed to any move to make it mandatory – though there was a willingness to work together with central government on reform.

While the case for change had been made financially, officers didn’t feel the social, cultural or environmental case had been.

“We believe the government has misunderstood the technical challenges and the scale of what they are trying to achieve… and we also think it has failed to recognise the depth or strength of feeling in our communities,” Strongman said.

The depth of feeling among councillors soon became clear with all in turn de-masking to decry the proposals.

Councillor Kevin Taylor who had reworked the submission said he struggled with the economics of the reforms and how “a bureaucracy of up to 9000 additional full time staff and borrowing and spending $160-185 billion over the next 30 years equates to ‘this is going to be cheaper for us’.”

Water reforms needed to be combined with others occurring within local government, said Taylor.

In isolation, they would be “a mistake, foolhardy” and doing them in the wrong order would result in less than optimal decisions.

“I think the government has grossly underestimated the depth of feeling in the community across the entire electorate and also grossly underestimated the complexity of the changes involved and the transition and how long it’s going to take...”

Others weighed in on the lack of public consultation equating to a degradation of democracy or, like deputy mayor Christine Rankin, floated the idea that the billions mooted should just be distributed to current councils to meet the new standards “and if we don’t do it, enforce it.”

“I don’t think it needs to be this complicated at all. I’ve had a lot of experience in change management and can’t see how this is going to run smoothly. It’s going to be a disaster.”

John Mack said given the level of public discontent with the proposals he didn’t feel councillors had a mandate to decide on them.

“Reform of this level needs to be co-designed with stakeholders, not thrust upon us,” said Kirsty Trueman, “We’ve been given one option... and I don’t think it’s the best option.”

Supporting the need for co-design, Tangonui Kingi said the council’s commendable efforts to work with local communities and iwi on their aspirations relating to water would be diminished by the three waters framework.

In summing up the council’s mood Taupō Mayor David Trewavas said the Minister of Local Government had failed to recognise the community depth of feeling.

“And progressing in this way will undoubtedly result in a massive kick back from this country.”

“We must have good quality drinking water and be confident that our disposal of wastewater and storm water is the best method available… but we need to be heard and consulted, and we must consult with the public as well.”

Credit: Stuff.co.nz