JOHN BISSET/Things
Timaru Mayor Nigel Bowen and Deputy Mayor Steve Wills at the Taxpayer’s Union Stop Three Waters meeting in June.
South Canterbury mayors are encouraging people to voice their opinions on the Three Waters reforms.
Timaru Mayor Nigel Bowen said now is the time for those concerned about the reforms to have their say.
“We need to send a strong signal to the government that people want a better form of reform that respects the decades-long investments of local communities and allows them to have a real say in how their money is spent going forward.”
The Timaru Council has taken a strong stand against the reforms, become the only one of the 78 municipalities in the country not represented by the Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) after withdrawing from the group in protest to support the changes.
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In June, Manawatū District Council voted to reduce the amount they paid in membership fees to LGNZ for the same reason.
Mackenzie Mayor Graham Smith warned that by not submitting a submission, people can be assumed to be happy with the proposed changes.
“Anyone who does not participate in the process will be seen by the government as a support for this plan,” he said.
JOHN BISSET/Things
Timaru Mayor Nigel Bowen has been an outspoken critic of the proposed reforms. (File photo)
Waimate County Mayor Craig Rowley said councils knew how water was handled would need to change, but suggested an alternative reform model “that will deliver better results.”
“Through the Local Democracy of Communities 4 He Hapori mō te Manapori (C4LD), we have developed a common sense model for reform that everyone can stand behind and deliver any outcome the government seeks,” Rowley said.
The group, which was formed in December to oppose the reforms, is made up of 31 district and city councils, which fund the campaign through tiered payments, with rural councils paying $10,000, county councils contributing $15k and metropolitan councils $20k. Pay .
The three mayors refer residents to a pre-written template on the webpage of lobby group C4LD.
On the site, those who would rather email than use the selection committee’s online submission process can send an email that C4LD will convert into an entry on their behalf, or sign a petition using an online form that C4LD will then process as a Select Committee submission.
Public entries for the selected committee have been open since the end of June and will close on Friday, July 22 at 11:59 PM.