Back to business for South Waikato District Council
The South Waikato District Council re-convened its adjourned Council meeting of 26 February on 3 March in Tokoroa.
The public forum component of business was dealt with last week and yesterday the Council worked through the remaining agenda items. The full live stream recording can be found HERE.
The Council continued its future water services journey, responding to Central Government’s Local Waters Done Well legislation, with a decision to reduce the options for future water service deliveries to a stand-alone ringfenced unit of Council or an aggregated Council Controlled Organisation entity with some other Waikato councils (Waikato Waters Done Well). The decision was carried 10 votes to 1.
The Council had previously signed an HOA with other Waikato councils to investigate the combined option while also working on what water services could be if it stayed as a business unit of South Waikato District Council.
The next stage will see a report comparing these two options presented on 26 March where after the council chooses its preferred option which will come to the public for feedback/consultation.
Two notices of motion from Cr Sandra Wallace, both seconded by Cr Marie Farrell, were also dealt with during the meeting by the Council.
The first regarding having workshops for the remainder of the triennium open to the public was defeated 8 votes to 3.
The majority said the decision had been made earlier in the term and it should be something for the next Council to address.
The second was a motion for the Council to investigate what rate options could assist employees at Oji who have lost their jobs in the announced restructuring was defeated 8 votes to 3.
It was determined that rates relief for hardship is available impacted people could apply.
Full discussion, debates and recording of the meeting’s voting can be viewed on the live stream recording HERE.
Also tabled was the Mayoral Report for January 2025 which highlights the appointments and activities undertaken by the Mayor.
The Forward Work programme for 2025 was presented and adopted unanimously and the details are in the meeting’s agenda found HERE.
Both the Financial Services and Capital Portfolio Monitoring reports were also presented, discussed and adopted during this meeting.
A report was also tabled and approved by the Council with amendments to the Building Act (2004) and Resource Management Act 1991 Delegations.
