Wairarapa Councils Working Out Detail Over Wellington Regional Water Services Organisation

Tuesday, 15 October 2024, 8:58 pm
Article: Emily Ireland - Local Democracy Reporter

One of the biggest decisions for Wairarapa councils will be locked in at the end of the month: whether to opt in or out of a Wellington regional water services organisation.

Elected members from the three councils would be given more information this week on potential options in a workshop.

Masterton's workshop, scheduled for 18 October, would be open to the public for report presentations and questions from elected members, but would enter public-exclusion after this.

Carterton and South Wairarapa would hold a joint workshop on 17 October.

While the workshop agenda initially signalled the entire meeting would be in public-exclusion, a Carterton District Council spokesperson said this was incorrect.

"Our understanding is that the Carterton District Council-South Wairarapa District Council workshop will be open to the public throughout," the spokesperson said.

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A Masterton council spokesperson said a scheduling clash had resulted in Masterton not joining the other two councils at their workshop.

Each of Wairarapa's three councils would decide on 30 October whether to opt in or out of a Wellington regional water services organisation to tackle decades of infrastructure neglect.

If they did not join the Wellington model, they could form a Wairarapa-wide model - possibly inclusive of Tararua - or go at it alone.

Masterton Mayor Gary Caffell said it was easily the biggest decision he had faced in 15 years in local government and was glad Masterton's council workshop next week would be open to the public.

"We believe that it's a very complex decision and also it's going to be one that affects the ratepayers.

"We were keen to give them the opportunity to learn the details and have the same level of information we have to make our decisions."

With Masterton's workshop scheduled for 17 October, elected members would then have 12 days to mull the information over before the full council makes a decision on opting in or out of the Wellington regional model.

"For me personally, whilst I understand things have to be done to improve water services, the timing is very tight.

"It's almost a bit scary to have to make the decision in such a short time-frame."

He said he would make his decision based on affordability and sustainability.

* LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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