An update on the Local Water Done Well Consultations. It is good news so far.

We were so pleased to see yesterday’s story in the Post, with the submissions received for the Local Water Done Well Consultation across Taranaki.

The majority of people in Stratford and South Taranaki said - No to a CCO - for the new Local Water Done Well company structure.

We are also really pleased to see the Stratford and South Taranaki regions have no hesitation in presenting the initial numbers for the submission results.

In Stratford there were 185 submissions received:

• 170 people said - No to a CCO – and selected keeping water run in house by their Council
• 12 people said Yes to a Council Controlled Organisation (CCO)
• 3 people didn’t pick an option.

In South Taranaki there were 726 submissions received:

• 653+ people said - No to a CCO – and selected keeping water run in house by their Council
• 72 people (approx.) said Yes to a Council Controlled Organisation (CCO)
• Well done to the South Taranaki Community that so many people got involved with the consultation process.

We at the Alliance are very heartened that people who got involved with submissions have selected the only option that had a form of democracy included in the structure – continuing to run water in house – where we get to elect the people on the Council every 3 years.

It is great to see the Stratford and South Taranaki Councils being open and quick to supply the results to the first answer in the consultation document - the A,B and C first question.

• Reported by the Post - “New Plymouth District Council received 287 submissions - but has not released the breakdown of the numbers in favour of each option”.

We don’t know if the 287 submissions for New Plymouth are only the on-line responses and whether e-mail and letter submissions are still to be counted. That could well be possible. We have also asked for a full copy of the results for this consultation, including any reports, so we can follow the process and let everyone know what we find.

Coming up on the 1^st July, those who ticked the option to speak to the NPDC about their Local Water Done Well submission will spend just over half a day presenting to the Council. The Ratepayers Alliance opted to speak to our submission, and at this stage we are the last speaker for the day at 12.45pm.

We will watch with great interest for when the NPDC decides to release initial results, and we will also watch with great interest how all 3 Councils move forward when so far:

• The community has voted – No to a CCO.

Please share this far and wide – as a lot of people have been feeling they are not being heard by their Councils – and a lot of people have been feeling that it is pointless having a say in a consultation as the Councils are not listening.

We don’t have a final decision yet – but it is clear so far that 2 out of the 3 regions involved in this consultation have spoken clearly with what they want. We all need to keep the pressure on that this gets listened to. You help this to become reality by sharing this outcome with lots of people.

Thank you to everyone who followed our stories and put in a submission.