The Local Body Rates Heist thread

All across the Land, Local Body sacred cows have proliferated under the watch of
Labour's Clark Government and subsequently


Lets look at the extent of the Rip-A-Rate and vast increases coming through from
these sacred and in some instances inefficient cows with their straws out attached
to ratepayer pockets.. on a myriad of excuses intent on sucking out more hard earned
than they did in previous 12 months' sittings playing the same games..


These curious beasties have their own unique form of elected representation,
which in many instances usually sees a band of bods duly elected who in most
cases achieve very little change for their durations, with management of the
empire delegated to another raft of papershufflers & bureaucrats resident deep
in the guts of the beastie beyond any form of touch

WAIKATO:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/hamilt...HKVUS3BXFSETA/


Hamilton City Council to propose $6.3b spend, ‘dramatic’ rates rises over 10 years

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At its next full meeting, Hamilton City Council will propose a budget of $6.3 billion to keep the city running for the next 10 years.

To “balance the books”, the council said it would need to increase rates by an average of 19.9 per cent - $11 per week - in the next financial year.

This would be followed by an average 15.5 per cent in rates rises each financial year to 2029, a 9 per cent increase in 2029/30 and 5 per cent rates rises each year after that to 2034.

Meanwhile, properties with a pool are in for an even higher targeted rates rise next financial year: an increase of 22.3 per cent.

The council’s billion-dollar budget, and the proposed rates increases, were revealed in a draft 2024-34 Long Term Plan consultation document attached to Thursday’s full council meeting agenda, where elected members will vote to approve the document and its “underlying information”.

According to the draft consultation document, “rates have not kept up” with increasing costs and the council has been “using the city’s mortgage” to build new roads, buy land for community assets, invest in residential and industrial land and roll out free rubbish and recycling collection services.

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You poor unfortunate sods up in the Waikato - even more so if you have one of those deep holes in the ground out back filled with water for an occasional dip - you going to really attract extra extraction attention from your friendly local pocket lightening Raters & Rippers .. "To Balance the Books" :)

Blame on the Cannibal Collective robbing Mary to pay Paul.Water infra the big one,councils will have to carry the debt.Bring back Three Waters ,with a few tweaks.

The biggest issue is lack of Central Government . NZ has one of the lowest rates in the OECD of redistribution of Central Government revenue to regional government. Last I looked it was around 11%, it used to be over 18%.

In the meantime Central Government keeps asking Councils to perform more tasks without additional funding. It's a cunning ploy by Wellington as it forces Councils to raise rates, instead of Central Government raising taxes.

Central Government could at least give Councils back the GST collected on rates.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Daytr

The biggest issue is lack of Central Government . NZ has one of the lowest rates in the OECD of redistribution of Central Government revenue to regional government. Last I looked it was around 11%, it used to be over 18%.

In the meantime Central Government keeps asking Councils to perform more tasks without additional funding. It's a cunning ploy by Wellington as it forces Councils to raise rates, instead of Central Government raising taxes.

Central Government could at least give Councils back the GST collected on rates.

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they sound like a prosperous not so little huddle as it is sucking in the billions out of pockets of the hardworking,, no increase too large to hit the victims even harder for any excuse ;)


And you want more of the bureaucratic bullcr#p & empire building on a local level all delivering their own spin on localised incompetence & Fk-ups ilike have been seen in recent times up & down the land ? ;)

Just check out all the cyclone excuses covering for non response & other failures etc etc in some areas :)

Probably worthy of short leashes to keep them in order and headed in the right direction :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Joshuatree

Blame on the Cannibal Collective robbing Mary to pay Paul.Water infra the big one,councils will have to carry the debt.Bring back Three Waters ,with a few tweaks.

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Here in Nelson our rates are going up on average 7.2%. A chunk of that is for 3-waters infrastructure expenditure, which by the way is in good condition, but it has always been a significant part of Council's expenditure. After all it is their core job. Most of the rates increase is due to hugely increased interest rates bill on the NCC debt, thanks to our stubborn and high inflation after the last few years crazy Government wasteful expenditure. Some of it is also due to the NCC's decision to continue with careful community investment rather than a big austerity budget.
None of it has anything to do with the Coalition Government.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nztx

they sound like a prosperous not so little huddle as it is sucking in the billions out of pockets of the hardworking,, no increase too large to hit the victims even harder for any excuse ;)


And you want more of the bureaucratic bullcr#p & empire building on a local level all delivering their own spin on localised incompetence & Fk-ups ilike have been seen in recent times up & down the land ? ;)

Just check out all the cyclone excuses covering for non response & other failures etc etc in some areas :)

Probably worthy of short leashes to keep them in order and headed in the right direction :)

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So are you advocating for centralization?
Sounds like three waters would be right up your alley?
Local councils could improve their efficiency dramatically no doubt. However from what I see much of their bureaucracy is due to conforming to statutory requirements set by Central Government. The amount of consulting they have to perform just to get anything done is ridiculous.

Also the amount of time & effort Councils have to spend on getting funding for projects or maintaining existing infrastructure is also ridiculous. Councils should have sufficient funding to operate without having to beg for it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by iceman

Here in Nelson our rates are going up on average 7.2%. A chunk of that is for 3-waters infrastructure expenditure, which by the way is in good condition, but it has always been a significant part of Council's expenditure. After all it is their core job. Most of the rates increase is due to hugely increased interest rates bill on the NCC debt, thanks to our stubborn and high inflation after the last few years crazy Government wasteful expenditure. Some of it is also due to the NCC's decision to continue with careful community investment rather than a big austerity budget.
None of it has anything to do with the Coalition Government.

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Same here in good old Blenheim… our water infrastructure is pretty good. Again we were lumped with 3 waters stuff when ours is in good shape, such a waste of money. Bit jealous of ur shiny new dam tho!! Now that was a good investment.

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Originally Posted by Ricky-bobby

Same here in good old Blenheim… our water infrastructure is pretty good. Again we were lumped with 3 waters stuff when ours is in good shape, such a waste of money. Bit jealous of ur shiny new dam tho!! Now that was a good investment.

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Labour wanted to dump us into 3 Waters with Wellington to pay for their pathetic infrastructure management. Good riddance.
You’re not wrong about the Waimea Dam. It’s a game changer for wineries (and everyone else) around the Tasman . I hope the Government will make dam building around the country, (Otago, Canterbury, Marlborough, southern Hawkes Bay, Gisborne for example) part of their fast track projects. It’s ridiculous that we as an agricultural country, go through regular droughts while we let 85% of our rain water flow out to sea.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3502...ever-rate-rise

Napier ratepayers face highest ever rate rise

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Napier ratepayers are looking at the highest ever proposed rates rise, of 23.7%, due in large part to the need to improve ageing infrastructure.

Napier City councillors on Thursday signed off on consulting on the proposed increase, which Mayor Kirsten Wise noted was originally going to be 43%.

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Holy $h*t -- Wise Woman say "Shove that in your Art Deco pipes and suck it up like you Napier
peasants are really enjoying getting a right royal Local Body beating & fleecing" ;)


But it could have been a whole lot worse .. like a jaw stopping Arty Farty 43% instead :)


bound to be back for the rest and then a further large increment ontop next year ;)


These Rate & fee gathering Local Body cretins don't go away for long do they ? ;)


So why hasn't the infrastructure been improved updated previously already ?
The Council been asleep all this time hoping the issue would go away or solve itself
instead of morphing into something larger & more expensive ?

Sounds like there has been some really hopeless infrastructure management & planning going on across many Local Bodies for some time to have not provided for this over remaining life of the assets .. Not Brain Science is it - but commonsense ..

So borrowing levels don't look too bad for NCC - why aren't they borrowing instead - spreading the p&i cost forward over projected economic life, like most every other Council ? Too hard, Too hopeless or what ? :)


At this rate Napier are going with their Increases, everythink will be in grave danger of being made extinct not only on the foreshore but all round Mayor Wises' little fifedom of large local body butterfly nets hard at work capturing visible signs of life & prosperity all around, in record time :)


Who knows - if NCC get too rates hungry with their extortionate increases, there might be no-one or very few who want or can afford to even be around Wises' little enclave near the Hill at the end of the Spit ;)


When are the next Local Body elections again to cleanse the Napier empire of this extortionate unfriendly pocket-plundering mob of Local Govt bureaucrats, bleeding the fifedom dry ?


For those who have suddenly developed a Rates allergy worse than than the local sea spray in an economic storm while fenced in on the Hill & Spit - don't tell anyone but there might be a more economic solution just down the road a safe distance from the NCC hairy arm & plumes of sea spray - where the annual fare isn't quite at the NCC grand impost of both arms & three legs and rapidly advancing on a shoulder every year ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by iceman

Labour wanted to dump us into 3 Waters with Wellington to pay for their pathetic infrastructure management. Good riddance.
You’re not wrong about the Waimea Dam. It’s a game changer for wineries (and everyone else) around the Tasman . I hope the Government will make dam building around the country, (Otago, Canterbury, Marlborough, southern Hawkes Bay, Gisborne for example) part of their fast track projects. It’s ridiculous that we as an agricultural country, go through regular droughts while we let 85% of our rain water flow out to sea.

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Iceman, that's a very simplistic way to look at our rivers. Healthy rivers is an important part of the ecology and so is the flow into the sea. We already have a major issue with nitrates in our water tables & water ways.

Dairy / beef conversions of what were previous sheep farms have only been possible due to irrigation. Many of these areas aren't suitable for cows and we need to learn to work with nature not against it.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-...I6EEHHIMTGOBA/

Kaipara pensioners risk having to sell homes due to rates hike - community leader

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Kaipara pensioners may have to look at selling their homes if the council’s proposed 18.3 per cent rates rise goes ahead, community leader and long-time council watcher Dot Gorrie says.

Kaipara District Council (KDC) proposed rates are, at present, the highest for Northland for 2024/2025.

Mamaranui’s Gorrie said the council’s record rates rise would risk pensioners having to look “pretty seriously” at whether they could stay in their homes.

Pensioners, who were on fixed incomes, could have to look at downsizing to a more affordable property, she said.

The council watcher of almost 30 years described KDC’s early-stage proposed rates rise as scary.

“I’m shocked, thank goodness I am sitting down,” Gorrie said when told the figures by Local Democracy Reporting Northland.

“For people on a fixed income, it’s getting beyond a joke.”

She said it was getting to the stage where people could not afford to pay their rates.

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Absolutely disgusting state of Affairs coming out of this Northland Council's rate hikes and this will be only the tip of the iceberg on those unable to afford annually hiked up rates - bound to be a lot more - not just pensioners in a similar position.

Getting rid of the orange cone mob will save a few ice-creams.

Cutting staff is another.

Despite rubbish collection and potholes, engineering services etc all being contracted out, last time l checked Hastings DC had 360 staff, probably more post cyclone.

What happens is that they then look for new projects to do to look occupied, so its not only the wage bill, but the unnecessary project cost.

Ratepayers are the meal ticket and ATM.

You don't have the option of shopping elsewhere do you?

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Originally Posted by nztx

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-...I6EEHHIMTGOBA/

Kaipara pensioners risk having to sell homes due to rates hike - community leader






Absolutely disgusting state of Affairs coming out of this Northland Council's rate hikes and this will be only the tip of the iceberg on those unable to afford annually hiked up rates - bound to be a lot more - not just pensioners in a similar position.

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One of the main reasons is Kaipara and other Councils are still strapped with debt relating to three waters infrastructure. The cancelation of Three Waters by the new Government with no alternative in place has left Councils little choice.

100 day plan, can that, cancel this... mostly I agree with the cancelations or I would if the NAFT had an alternative plan.

They have said the would get rid of Three Waters for years, but didn't come up with their own plan?

What were they doing with all that time in opposition?

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Originally Posted by Daytr

One of the main reasons is Kaipara and other Councils are still strapped with debt relating to three waters infrastructure. The cancelation of Three Waters by the new Government with no alternative in place has left Councils little choice.

100 day plan, can that, cancel this... mostly I agree with the cancelations or I would if the NAFT had an alternative plan.

They have said the would get rid of Three Waters for years, but didn't come up with their own plan?

What were they doing with all that time in opposition?

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You'd think Labours flagship 'Three Idiots on Water' would have been a ripping success from accounts of some, but alas even the Local Body empires weren't overly eager to lap it up either even with Labour's carrot danging exercise trying to bribe all into being roped in ;)

The odd Local Body empire or two scored a pay out, and like the cat who scored the cream went out and blew it on any old thing that sailed before their eyes :)

Had to be a reason why the 3 Waters was loved so well that almost everyone across the land hated Labour for it, with Labour & the Sheila (who rode in from the back blocks with it, but couldn't get her lines right without amending the very next day) all got driven out of town over it and other failures ;)

It looks like the current Govt were doing more than what the last Labour Govt were failing at - in even trying to push flawed initiatives towards the line . Probably explains the vast carnage of Portfolios & Projects all sitting in various stages of disrepair and destruction when Joe Public finally sent the clueless huddle off down the road :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nztx

You'd think Labours flagship 'Three Idiots on Water' would have been a ripping success from accounts of some, but alas even the Local Body empires weren't overly eager to lap it up either even with Labour's carrot danging exercise trying to bribe all into being roped in ;)

The odd Local Body empire or two scored a pay out, and like the cat who scored the cream went out and blew it on any old thing that sailed before their eyes :)

Had to be a reason why the 3 Waters was loved so well that almost everyone across the land hated Labour for it, with Labour & the Sheila (who rode in from the back blocks with it, but couldn't get her lines right without amending the very next day) all got driven out of town over it and other failures ;)

It looks like the current Govt were doing more than what the last Labour Govt were failing at - in even trying to push flawed initiatives towards the line . Probably explains the vast carnage of Portfolios & Projects all sitting in various stages of disrepair and destruction when Joe Public finally sent the clueless huddle off down the road :)

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Lets keep it simple, all I want to see is the Government's alternative to three waters.
They sat in opposition for years saying they would reverse three waters & I was all for that, as long as they had their own plan.
The status quo is what got us to where we are now, in dire straits.

How can they not have a plan after all these years?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Daytr

Lets keep it simple, all I want to see is the Government's alternative to three waters.
They sat in opposition for years saying they would reverse three waters & I was all for that, as long as they had their own plan.
The status quo is what got us to where we are now, in dire straits.

How can they not have a plan after all these years?

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How could the Local Bodies huddle have got themselves in such a shocking mismanaged mess at this point
after how long being custodian of these things ? ;)

Three Waters is nothing more than a fudged attempt by Labour to land the responsibility for the mess
into the laps of the Taxpayer & in process created an even larger unholy shambles ;)

That is what the clueless incompetent Labour Minister trying to shove this through actually achieved
and no wonder .. what did she honestly expect ? ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nztx

How could the Local Bodies huddle have got themselves in such a shocking mismanaged mess at this point
after how long being custodian of these things ? ;)

Three Waters is nothing more than a fudged attempt by Labour to land the responsibility for the mess
into the laps of the Taxpayer & in process created an even larger unholy shambles ;)

That is what the clueless incompetent Labour Minister trying to shove this through actually achieved
and no wonder .. what did she honestly expect ? ;)

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You ask how? Already answered above.
Chronic under funding by Central Government for decades.

I wasn't a fan of Three Waters like most people weren't, but it doesn't mean after years of moaning about it National shouldn't have had an alternative. Apparently 14Bln on motorways is more important than water infrastructure.

I really don't know why they don't just consolidate the Three Waters under a structure that already exists,.being Regional Councils. It still keeps it local but also consolidates to give a sizeable balance sheet & scale.
Central Government has to come to the party on funding. They could at least give Councils the GST they collect on rates.

Local Body Robbers at it again:

Hauraki rates and fees could rise 40 per cent in three years


https://www.nzherald.co.nz/waikato-n...LAB45R2ZNLJUE/


Hauraki District Council rates and fees to rise dramatically to cover costs

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Hauraki ratepayers face significant rates and fees hikes as the cost of living continues to bite.

Hauraki District Council has released its consultation document for the 2024-2034 Long Term Plan following a council meeting on March 13.

It comes with a long list of fee increases and a proposed rates hike of more than 17 per cent.

A spokesperson for the council said increased fees “can be a combination of increased compliance costs, new legislation or cost of service delivery”.

The spokesperson also confirmed an accompanying document Love This Place had been read and accepted by councillors without objection.

The document gave a breakdown of rates (non-water) and fee increases, more notably a 17.4 per cent increase in 2024/25, per property rates, followed by 12.3 per cent in 2025/26 and 9.2 per cent in 2026/27.

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"Love this Place" should be renamed ..


how about -


"Love these Local Govt Money-grabbing Pr!cks who regard everyone as their ATM to rob & fleece at will " ? ;)

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-ba...NCLCAOC7354IA/

Napier rates climb 100pc on some hill streets, and Cyclone Gabrielle is to blame



Paywallllled


You move higher - we hike the Rates GRAB higher ;)


Napier City Council really knows how to ramp up the pain on the poor captive peasants within it's territory ;)

Might be cheaper moving just down the road outside NCC Rate Hike boundaries - Napierites - the next County doesn't sting quite as hard as the NCC Local Body beavers imposing a grand price of at least 3 legs and 2 arms :)

Palmerston North CC eyes their local captive Ratepayers for a further series of Rates ATM Raids


https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/palmer...M3WQV643T3A6Q/


Palmerston North ratepayers could face $1000 annual bill for new sewage treatment system

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Every ratepayer in Palmerston North could face an annual bill of at least $1000 for 30 years to fund a new sewage treatment system.

It is a situation that could be repeated across New Zealand as councils are warned there are no more free lunches when it comes to water.

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A nice 30 year heist of the ratepayer's hard earned - isn't it ? ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nztx

Palmerston North CC eyes their local captive Ratepayers for a further series of Rates ATM Raids


https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/palmer...M3WQV643T3A6Q/


Palmerston North ratepayers could face $1000 annual bill for new sewage treatment system






A nice 30 year heist of the ratepayer's hard earned - isn't it ? ;)

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Yep it's the same here. New sewerage plant and the addional cost to be connected is around $1K plus there was an initial joining fee.

But how else will this be paid for?
I recommend that there be a radial pattern out from the town center so those not connected but using the town as their service center paid something. I worked out that if those not connected in the area contributed $100 per year, it would halve the amount paid by those connected.

The Mayor at the time said it was a great idea but of course nothing came of it.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/...rates-increase

Hastings homeowners may face 25% rates increase

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Hastings homeowners may be hit with a 25 percent rates rise as the city grapples with how to pay for the huge amount of cyclone recovery work still ahead.

Hastings District Council will on Thursday consider the rates hike as part of its draft long-term plan.

The draft plan is proposing 8 percent of the increase is targeted to cyclone recovery and 17 percent to core services, such as maintaining existing roading and invest in infrastructure.

"It is very much an infrastructure-based budget," mayor Sandra Hazlehurst told Morning Report.

"What we've spent in the last year is close to $155 million just in the response and road repairs.

"In addition to that we had the category three voluntary buyout, which is $50 million, and on top of that, we need around $170 million to continue with our transport rebuild."

Hazlehurst said the council was hoping for more funding from the government to help the recovery.

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The way this Council Empire is portraying things - many might wonder if they are trying to say that EVERY Road & Bridge got washed out or damaged in the Cyclone.

Definitely not the case however - it's been okay for this Council to apply increase after increase each year to Rates pillaging Ratepayer's pockets repeatedly, then come screaming when a lot of their infrastructure suddenly failed out of one event. To have so many failures begs the question - if the infrastructure was old, nearing end of it's life or so badly maintained to all fail at once, then what was being done in previous years to 'bridge the gap' and provide for what they should have been well aware needed doing ?

Of course many of the repairs & replacements will be substantially funded by Government Grants, but still we see references to - for example 37% increases for bridge replacements.

Local businesses are screaming for the work & some laying off staff that produce product for these sort of large projects right now.

Not a good showing for HDC

Let's face it HDC is only up for a small % of cost after grants for many of these large projects,

Clearly it would appear that the Council may or may not have been asleep at the wheel for what is being seen and trying to heap 25% rates increases on captive Ratepayers being treated as ATM's in harder times in a district that has suffered greatly in parts huge economic damage.

Not really good enough - from the Hastings Council to suddenly wake up to aftermath of a disaster and try to offload huge increases on ratepayers to get the Council out the hole that it has most likely dug for itself ;)

How much 3 Waters Loot got sucked up by HDC under that failed Labour Govt initiative ?

Where did it go - or was it frittered away on wasteful insignificant projects like there was no tomorrow ?


Knowing of the areas affected & an idea of infrastructure affected out of a 1 in 50 or 100 year event, it would appear that Hastings was not in many localities impacted at all badly, and fared reasonably well.

And yet this sees necessity from HDC Local Body Empire inspiring hungry 25% Hikes in recessionary times.

I would sincerely hate to see what a more intensive damaging event would in turn see from HDC.
The cost recoveries based on current rate & cost increases proposed - if there was a larger event with large scale damage would likely suffocate and near on bankrupt all the district completely based on HDC's increases formulae and propensity to try to recover all in just a 2-3 year period ;)


It's time that the cosy cluster of Local Body fifedoms up & down the country were all put under microscope and subject to more intensive regulation, so they are performing and delivering for their stakeholders efficiently & effectively - that is ratepayers; and future projects or replacements see more care & precision planning to ensure that regions don't have large scale failures, then see the cost dumped in huge wads on ratepayers under any old sort of excuse.

Not unreasonable is it ? ;)


The Mayor (having been in Accounting firm employ some years back and with involvement with business) would or should be well aware that dropping the cost of this sort of shambles in one huge hit on the captive Ratepayer being treated as the Council's ATM's for the stripping, is a very poor showing & far from good enough ;)

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/hamilt...BFMKQ62EFGAHU/

Hamilton Māori Ward councillor Melaina Huaki quit after questions about regular absences



Hamilton Folks - look at what your Rate Hikes are paying for ;)

How many thousands for talent pieces to be on semi-holiday ...

Must be lots more of this sort of rort going on up and down the country ;)

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-ba...HYUJRVUXFUG6A/


Hawke’s Bay rates hikes: Havelock North property could pay $700 annually for public transport


Change in Rating base from Land value to Capital Value by HB Regional Council

159% Increase in one captive ratepayers HNRC Rates as a result - and $700 transport levy ???

Absolutely extortionate & Ridiculous - HB Regional Council !


And done at a time when COL, Interest rates, and all other costs are generally rising in recessionary times.

About as smart as another Hawkes Bay Council looking to try to syphon off 25% increases for broken infrastructure it mostly didn't bother opening too many eyes to until hit with a 50 or 100 year King shot, then tries recover a large pile in how few years ? ;)

Remember those old bridges largely ignored and costing 37% more over last year's or month's costs would generally be fairly largely subsidised by Central Govt .. well wouldn't they ?

So much for the just having to wave the CYCLONE flag to try to fix all ills in one foul swoop ;)

What a bunch of Clueless Councils we have in the Hawkes Bay ;)



Have the finance brains @ HB Regional Council remained waterlogged & started rotting ? ;)

Did any of of the HBRC blockheads in the back office consider likely affects on higher capitalised properties
and the associated likely rort for things they did not, and would not use ? ;)

Same idiots who were involved in the vast & extensive Ruataniwha Dam C*ck -up or not ? ;)



Merger of the Hawke's Bay Councils some years ago appear to have been the correct move
except the correct merger proposal was never considered or presented

That would have been HB Regional Council de-established and done away with and each of the
other councils picking up what HBRC was doing in their own Council territory,.

And of course with it - HBRC's Port of Napier shareholding vested in a Community Trust in the same
way as Unision is owned by & for benefit of beneficiaries HB Power Consumer Trust


Port of Napier would probably operate more efficiently and see itself as having been granted a new life without the burden of HBRC leg irons and chains draped it's neck ;)


Far too much Council ROT, wastage of Resources and Cluelessness over the years appear on the HBRC past track record.

How many millions were wasted across a decade or more by HBRC on the "Done Deal" Ruataniwha Dam project ?

Who ultimately paid for all that ? ;)

They likely thought after it got canned & their rates got hiked that was probably more like a fairly "Dumb Deal" and they can be forgiven for thinking that to, after those responsible for pushing the grand scheme got pushed themselves ;)

For those with longer memories - in around 2002 this was a Council which levied no Regional Council rates due to a Port of Napier windfall it received and has since displayed many if not all of the bad financial habits other Councils now display, the least of which is regarding it's captive ratepayers as a Council ATM to be raided once a year ;)


It appears time that getting rid of the extra layer of expensive, unnecessary & mindless greedy Local Body Bureaucracy that HBRC appears to now represent is once again in need of consideration by Central Government, as part of a wider in depth investigation of the affairs & conduct of all NZ Local Bodies ;)


What would a referendum now likely produce post- Cyclone and after the Local HB Councils have played their little ring a rosies around vastly hiked rates and oncosts based on Cyclone excuses, with one at the centre of the Cyclone front also playing Capital Value games after all that's happened ? ;)


Let's put it in the CAPITAL VALUES that HB Regional Council HBRC so dearly loves now:


BE GONE WITH YOU - HBRC .. The Hawke's Bay does not need the extra Layer of Bureaucratic Local Body Bunkum, selective madness / blindness and wasteful excesses that you represent ;)

Wonder who will get lumbered & wear the after effects of these Council Wheelies & Blow-outs -



https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3502...weak-oversight


Blowouts ‘blindside’ Queenstown council due to weak oversight

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The Queenstown council has been “blindsided” by major cost over-runs on infrastructure projects worth $500 million due to weak oversight, a new report has found.

Queenstown Lakes District Council requested the report on the Whakatipu Transport Programme Alliance - a group convened to run the town’s largest infrastructure projects in decades.

The work included the $60m Queenstown street upgrades, the $128m arterial project building a road to bypass central Queenstown, $70m spent on the Lakeview development, and a $250m road upgrade project.

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Quote:

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The bulk of the funding was supplied by central government but the council has been liable for millions in cost over-runs.

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Things must be pretty crazy for Queenstown District Council to get blindsided ;)

They didn't see it coming, or were all peacefully asleep (on the same page) or too busy playing tiddlywinks ? ;)

Have they been doing this for long, or was everyone in the Special Projects section on extended Long Holiday leave for the full term of these projects ? ;)


Wonder how the Captive Queenstown Ratepayer ATM's are feeling at the moment ?

Flush, Flushed or shortly about to be very badly flushed and rorted by Blind & Stupid long hairy arm of QLDC Rates Collection department on an urgent mission to fill a large hole ? ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nztx

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-ba...HYUJRVUXFUG6A/


Hawke’s Bay rates hikes: Havelock North property could pay $700 annually for public transport


Change in Rating base from Land value to Capital Value by HB Regional Council

159% Increase in one captive ratepayers HNRC Rates as a result - and $700 transport levy ???

Absolutely extortionate & Ridiculous - HB Regional Council !


And done at a time when COL, Interest rates, and all other costs are generally rising in recessionary times.

About as smart as another Hawkes Bay Council looking to try to syphon off 25% increases for broken infrastructure it mostly didn't bother opening too many eyes to until hit with a 50 or 100 year King shot, then tries recover a large pile in how few years ? ;)

Remember those old bridges largely ignored and costing 37% more over last year's or month's costs would generally be fairly largely subsidised by Central Govt .. well wouldn't they ?

So much for the just having to wave the CYCLONE flag to try to fix all ills in one foul swoop ;)

What a bunch of Clueless Councils we have in the Hawkes Bay ;)



Have the finance brains @ HB Regional Council remained waterlogged & started rotting ? ;)

Did any of of the HBRC blockheads in the back office consider likely affects on higher capitalised properties
and the associated likely rort for things they did not, and would not use ? ;)

Same idiots who were involved in the vast & extensive Ruataniwha Dam C*ck -up or not ? ;)



Merger of the Hawke's Bay Councils some years ago appear to have been the correct move
except the correct merger proposal was never considered or presented

That would have been HB Regional Council de-established and done away with and each of the
other councils picking up what HBRC was doing in their own Council territory,.

And of course with it - HBRC's Port of Napier shareholding vested in a Community Trust in the same
way as Unision is owned by & for benefit of beneficiaries HB Power Consumer Trust


Port of Napier would probably operate more efficiently and see itself as having been granted a new life without the burden of HBRC leg irons and chains draped it's neck ;)


Far too much Council ROT, wastage of Resources and Cluelessness over the years appear on the HBRC past track record.

How many millions were wasted across a decade or more by HBRC on the "Done Deal" Ruataniwha Dam project ?

Who ultimately paid for all that ? ;)

They likely thought after it got canned & their rates got hiked that was probably more like a fairly "Dumb Deal" and they can be forgiven for thinking that to, after those responsible for pushing the grand scheme got pushed themselves ;)

For those with longer memories - in around 2002 this was a Council which levied no Regional Council rates due to a Port of Napier windfall it received and has since displayed many if not all of the bad financial habits other Councils now display, the least of which is regarding it's captive ratepayers as a Council ATM to be raided once a year ;)


It appears time that getting rid of the extra layer of expensive, unnecessary & mindless greedy Local Body Bureaucracy that HBRC appears to now represent is once again in need of consideration by Central Government, as part of a wider in depth investigation of the affairs & conduct of all NZ Local Bodies ;)


What would a referendum now likely produce post- Cyclone and after the Local HB Councils have played their little ring a rosies around vastly hiked rates and oncosts based on Cyclone excuses, with one at the centre of the Cyclone front also playing Capital Value games after all that's happened ? ;)


Let's put it in the CAPITAL VALUES that HB Regional Council HBRC so dearly loves now:


BE GONE WITH YOU - HBRC .. The Hawke's Bay does not need the extra Layer of Bureaucratic Local Body Bunkum, selective madness / blindness and wasteful excesses that you represent ;)

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https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-ba...JHPPKVKDDXSK4/


Opinion: Hawke’s Bay regional councillors failed to ‘read the room’ - Xan Harding



A whole bunch of Brick Bats being thrown at HBRC

Not much love being shown for this Mob - No-one need to ask why ;)

They seem to think they are Law to themselves without listening to others

Dam disasters, Cyclone disasters, now they think they should rate their extortionate format of hiked up local body levies & taxes on others on Capital Values ;)

God forbid - can they be trusted ? .. The Public don't appear to be very happy

Could it be a loud resounding "Be gone with you - HBRC - you won't be missed" ?

Time to disassemble this poor excuse for a Local Body, set free Port of Napier (NPH) out of the clutches of HBRC into Consumer Trust ownership & throw the slices of the rest of HBRC's activities out to the various other local Councils - as should have happened earlier, if the correct Amalgamation Strategy had been considered ? ;)



Very sad when the people & ratepayers lose faith in a Local Council .. but in HBRC's case they seem to have invited and done it to themselves ..