Local Water Done Well – D-Day for New Plymouth Tomorrow - what do we know ? And – another error with rates pricing.

Stratford Submissions from Ratepayers and Renters asked for an in-house Company Structure for their water - their Council agreed to an in-house model which was what their submitters wanted.

South Taranaki Submissions from Ratepayers and Renters asked for an in-house Company Structure for their water – today - their Council agreed to an in-house model which was what their submitters wanted.

Over 61% of New Plymouth submitters asked for an in-house company structure for water with their submissions.

At the 9am meeting tomorrow morning the NPDC will decide what company structure model they are taking on.

Will they listen to their people and the submissions they received, and like Stratford and South Taranaki follow what the majority of people have asked for ?

At the Alliance, and as we said in our Local Water Done Well verbal Submission on 1^st July, we have doubts about the validity of the assumptions which have been used to work out the costs for the CCO Company Structures for Local Water Done Well. In recent weeks we have learnt the NPDC is not good at getting their forecasts right – they have major issues with their assumptions in plans and also issues with their financial processes.

We do not support them setting up a new company structure with Modelling/Forecasting which is not likely to be correct. We support staying with an in-house structure which they know the actual costs for, as it is running now. There are only a few extra costs to add with an in-house model - to comply with water regulations.

The precedent has been set for Taranaki, by Stratford and South Taranaki.

Will Neil Holdom and the majority of Councillors agree with the majority of people who submitted and provide an -in-house company structure for New Plymouth ?

We will let you know.

The link to today’s South Taranaki News Story is here:

https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/360764864/house-water-services-receive-unanimous-vote-south-taranaki

And at 1pm tomorrow afternoon the NPDC will be discussing the errors with the setting of the rates – not a 9.9% average rates increase – but a 12.8% average rates increase.

There is another item in that discussion – another error. There seems to be some serious issues with the NPDC finance team.

The Water Supply Targeted rate - which have restricted flow - has incorrect wording with setting the rates in the 1^st July 2025 meeting. There are also some people questioning whether we have the highest rate to pay for water anywhere in NZ with this $418 per m3 with our rates. Maybe that amount is another error.

This is another error to be discussed on the 22^nd at a Council meeting.

A photo is attached of the restricted flow water error in tomorrow’s agenda and what will be discussed.