Latest news with #LocalWaterDoneWell
Newsroom
a day ago
- Business
- Newsroom
Govt set to announce special development deal with one city
The Government is on the cusp of declaring its first 'city and regional deal' to unlock growth potential around one major centre – most likely to be Tauranga. It hopes a deal can be a game-changer for the western Bay of Plenty region. Two other centres, almost certainly to include Auckland and possibly Queenstown, are likely to be announced as next off the rank, priority deals to be negotiated through 2026. Cabinet reportedly scrutinised on Monday officials' assessments of cities' so-called 'light-touch proposals', or applications for the unique central government-local government funding and planning deals for roads, housing and infrastructure. A first, signed memorandum of understanding, to underline the coalition Government's commitment to 'going for growth,' had been listed in its latest quarterly action plan ending June 30, next Monday. In February, cities and regions submitted their bids for the special government treatment, which could mimic some of the principles followed most famously by the UK government with Manchester. Applicants had been urged to put forward up to five priority projects in their area that would unlock economic growth. The expected deals would be long-term commitments by those cities, having consulted their private sector and local iwi, to pursue development that also meets central government goals. While guidelines from the Internal Affairs Department to potential applicants said deals should rely on existing resources, rather than new funding, they said the agreements would set out a framework of how new funding could be used when available. So Tauranga, which those close to the process expect to have made a compelling case for Wellington backing given its population, housing and transport growth, would not be in for an initial financial windfall In March, the two ministers leading the policy, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Local Government Minister Simon Watts, said it was 'designed to help reduce New Zealand's infrastructure deficit through unlocking productivity, attracting investment and improving connectivity across the country. 'Delivering a joint long-term vision for regions will ensure they remain focused on delivering what matters most to ratepayers, including critical infrastructure like housing and transport.' Watts said successful councils would need to show how each initiative would match other government priorities such as the Local Water Done Well reforms of water services. One of the features of the deals will be that central and local government budgets and investment strategies will be synchronised to maximise the impact of resources. Committee for Auckland director Mark Thomas wrote for Newsroom at the start of this government's term that more than 30 city deals were operating in the UK – some focused beyond infrastructure and housing. Edinburgh, for example, had struck a $600m innovation city deal with the Scottish and UK governments to accelerate productivity and growth by funding data-driven innovation, research, development and technology hubs. In Australia 12 city deals were already in operation when our coalition Government took office, covering urban priorities from transport infrastructure, entertainment centres and stadiums to workforce development. Thomas says 'city deals need guaranteed funding arrangements to be credible and innovative arrangements involving the private sector can play an important part.' The Internal Affairs guidelines required an initial 10-year strategic plan with 'clear outcomes and actions required to achieve them' and there had to be a 30-year vision for the region. Auckland councillors were tipped by their chief executive Phil Wilson at their monthly meeting on Thursday to expect to hear the Government's city deal news next week. Chris Bishop's office did not address Newsroom's questions over whether the Cabinet had considered the city and regional deal assessments last Monday, or if one would be announced next week. It offered seven timeless words of deflection: 'Ministers will make announcements in due course.' The Tauranga-based bid was in the name of three councils, Tauranga City, the Western Bay of Plenty District and the Bay of Plenty Region and developed with iwi and the area's economic development agency Priority One. Tauranga Mayor Mahe Drysdale said: 'Government has done a great job of signalling investment in the region through the Roads of National Significance programme, and now we want to build on that initiative to deliver growth in core infrastructure that will enable 40,000 additional homes and unleash jobs and economic growth.' Regional council chair Doug Leeder said another key component of the deal would be to enable increased exports and export income for New Zealand via the Port of Tauranga. The bid proposal listed three priorities: 1. Deliver the Western and Northern Corridors with major roading projects – Tauriko Network Connections and Takitimu North Stage 2, enabling housing and industrial land development. 2. Develop the Eastern Corridor by unlocking key land development projects; Te Tumu, Rangiuru and Te Kāinga. 3. Enable exports, resilience and decarbonisation of freight led by the Connecting Mount Maunganui project. The committee for Auckland's Mark Thomas told Newsroom the Auckland proposal was also strong. 'The Auckland deal has been put together with high-level private and public sector and iwi involvement and is a quality product. 'Two years of State of the City reports on Auckland have confirmed a long-term partnership, like a regional deal, between Auckland and Government is the only way to address the systemic and long-standing issues impacting Auckland's performance such as our low peer innovation performance, our skills deficits, and underinvestment in transport.'
Scoop
2 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Adoption Of 2025/26 Annual Plan
Hamilton City Council has finalised its work programme and budget for the next financial year, progressing the projects and investment set in the 2024-34 Long-Term Plan. The 2025/26 Annual Plan includes $255.3 million of capital expenditure, almost three quarters of which will go towards transport and three waters infrastructure. Work to maintain prominent facilities will see upgrades to the Central Library, Celebrating Age Centre, and Frankton Railway Hall, while seven other community buildings will receive renewals. The new Pukete Neighbourhood House will open, and eight playgrounds across the city will be refreshed, including the Parana Park destination playground. Mayor Paula Southgate is pleased with the balance of investment in the final Annual Plan of her mayoralty. 'This is largely business as usual, given the extraordinary cost increases and pressures that we have faced,' said Mayor Southgate. 'The public can have confidence that we are working hard to maintain a balanced budget, deliver core infrastructure and deliver on community expectations.' The rates increase set for 2025/26 in the Long-Term Plan was confirmed, with an average increase of 15.5% for existing ratepayers. This keeps Council on track to balance its books (meet everyday costs with everyday revenue) in 2026/27. However, this could be impacted by the outcome of the revaluation of Council's stormwater assets. Rates for a median value residential property in 2025/26 are $3779, a weekly increase of around $9.70 from 2024/25. Rates will be structured differently in 2025/26, as separate rates are introduced for drinking water, wastewater and stormwater. The separate rates are necessary under the government's Local Water Done Well legislation, as part of preparing to transition water services to IAWAI Flowing Waters from next year. The 'general rate' portion of a property's rates will be reduced in 2025/26 (by approximately 28%) to accommodate the new separate rates. The 2025/26 Annual Plan was adopted unanimously.
Scoop
3 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Tauranga City Council Annual Plan Balances Investment With Affordability
Tauranga City Council unanimously adopted its Annual Plan 2025/2026 yesterday – the first for the Council elected in July last year– and one that aims to balance investing in Tauranga's future with affordability. The Annual Plan outlines the organisation's work programme for the next financial year, which gives effect to dozens of new projects across the city. Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale believes Council has struck the right balance between ensuring Tauranga continues to invest in the infrastructure the city requires, through a capital investment programme of $503 million, while keeping rates as affordable as it can. 'Our priorities were to achieve a balanced budget which invests in essential infrastructure, while also funding the depreciation on council assets so that they can be modernised or renewed when they reach the end of their useful lives,' says Mahé. 'During this process, we worked hard to identify $38 million worth of savings, resulting in an average rates increase of 9.9% for the year - just over two percent less than the increase we originally consulted on and less than the Long Term Plan 2024-34. 'Underlying every decision was a determination to ensure that all council projects and activities provide quality outcomes and real value for money for the people of Tauranga. That approach will continue throughout 2025/26 and beyond, as we look to deliver on this and future work plans.' Mahé says he and the councillors are very aware that any rates increase will add to the financial pressures many households are experiencing. 'Unfortunately, years of past underinvestment in our infrastructure and community facilities left us with some challenging choices. It is not prudent to keep kicking the can down the road – we need to deliver now to ensure a bright future for our city. 'Our opportunity now is to deliver on one of the biggest capital investment programmes our city has ever taken on, while cementing-in cost savings and continuing to provide the essential services our people need,' Mahé adds. 'While the budget is set, this is just the beginning of the journey. We will continue to look for further savings and ensure that every dollar spent drives real value for the community.' During consultation on the Draft Annual Plan 2025/26 and Local Water Done Well proposal in April, the mayor and councillors held more than 20 community events, received 968 submissions and 68 people spoke to their submissions at hearings. A decision on the preferred delivery model for water services, which was consulted on in parallel with the Annual Plan, is expected to be considered at the Council meeting on 14 July 2025.
Scoop
4 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Local Water Done Well - TCDC Approves Joint Water Services Organisation
Thames-Coromandel District Council has voted to join with Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty councils to form a joint water services delivery organisation that will comply with new Government legislation and futureproof these essential services for our community. At its meeting this week, our Council met to decide on the district's water services and delivery as part of the Government's mandated Local Water Done Well reform. The decision to form a joint Water Services Organisation follows a year of research, meetings, workshops and community consultation. In December 2024, Council narrowed down the options for future water services delivery under the Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Act to: an enhanced status quo (an internal water services unit) or; a regional/sub-regional Water Services Organisation Other options were initially explored but expert advice found these not financially feasible. Our Council consulted with our community between 15 April and 15 May on what its preferred option was. Local community catch-up sessions, online Q&A sessions and meetings with iwi contributed to our Council's conversations about which option would serve the district best. A total of 241 public submissions were received, revealing 51% supporting our Council's preferred joint water services organisation delivery model compared to 46% of submissions supporting the internal business unit model. Another 4% of submitters did not specify a preferred option. As part of this consultation 69% of submitters advised that the key consideration for future water service delivery was affordability. The staff analysis recommended forming a joint water services organisation with Western Bay of Plenty (WBOP) District and Tauranga City councils as the best option to provide future affordability for local ratepayers while providing a mechanism to influence the design of the new joint Water Service Organisation. Joining the Waikato Water Done Well grouping of seven Waikato councils or the Hamilton City/Waikato District entity were also considered to be good options but not as strong as the Tauranga/WBOP option Seven councillors and Mayor Len Salt voted in favour of this option, with a potential start date of 1 July 2027. Two councillors voted against (Councillor Morrissey, Councillor Rodley). Council staff will now work with Tauranga and Western Bay councils to prepare a commitment agreement and joint implementation plan before reporting back to Council. Chief Executive Aileen Lawrie noted 'This is an important decision for council, which focuses on ensuring our water services will be delivered sustainably for future generations.'. A Water Services Delivery Plan will now be drafted up before being presented to the Department of Internal Affairs by 3 September 2025.
Scoop
5 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
South Waikato District Confirms Participation In Waikato Water Done Well
The South Waikato District Council has today approved to become a founding shareholder of Waikato Water Done Well. Waikato Water Done Well will be a Council-Controlled Organisation (CCO) jointly owned with six other local councils and will deliver drinking water and wastewater services in accordance with the Government's Local Water Done Well reform. Council will retain the management of stormwater activity and continue to deliver stormwater services. Following the full Council meeting on 25 June, South Waikato Mayor Gary Petley acknowledged the magnitude of the decision. 'This is one of the biggest decisions local councils across the motu have been asked to make for some time, and the amount of work that has gone into it reflects that,' Petley said. He also acknowledged there were a range of passionate viewpoints on the issue. Council was presented with the 54 submissions that were made as part of the consultation process. "Some of them raised valid concerns about the plan but could not directly address the criteria which our Water Services Delivery Plan must meet for approval,' Petley said. 'As a Council it's our job to make decisions in the best interests of the 25,000-plus who call the South Waikato home, and from the comprehensive work undertaken on this topic, it's clear that joining Waikato Water Done Well was the right option for us,' he said. All Councils participating in the establishment of Waikato Water Done Well will gain from the CCO. Some small Councils will gain the benefit of greater cashflow and the ability to attract and retain in-house expertise as well as savings from having a larger footprint in the market. Councils will also have greater borrowing capacity to fund new infrastructure. Participating councils will transfer their assets to the new entity and will have control of all the assets through the Shareholders' Agreement. Under the Government's Local Water Done Well reform, all Councils across New Zealand are required to submit an approved plan to the Department of Internal Affairs by 3 September 2025. Notes: The seven councils that signed the heads of agreement to set up Waikato Water Done Well in December 2024 are South Waikato District Council, Hauraki District Council, Matamata-Piako District Council, Ōtorohanga District Council, Taupō District Council, Waipā District Council and Waitomo District Council. Most shareholding Councils will have made a decision by the end of the week. Taupō District Council will be going with an in-house service delivery model and will revisit their decision to become part of the WWDW family for services in two years' time. Waikato Water Done Well was identified as the South Waikato District Council's preferred option on March 26 this year. Consultation with the community was conducted between 14 April to 12 May. There were 54 submissions in total – 53 online and one paper submission. Of these, seven were in favour of Council's preferred option and 46 opposed, with one submission unclear. Once all councils ratify the Shareholders Agreement, the CCO will be established and the transfer of assets will commence. The transfer of our assets is expected to be completed by 1 July 2026. This is also the date the CCO is expected to start providing services to the first three shareholder councils.
