Financial data presented at an Ōtorohanga District Council elected members workshop shows ratepayers are better off sharing ownership of the district’s water infrastructure with other councils rather than going it alone.
Water Done Well. Photo: pexels.com
But an options analysis completed by elected members in a public workshop showed that the decision was not as clear cut.
Council finance manager Brendan O’Callaghan asked councillors to treat his findings with caution.
“This is based on the best information we have at the moment,” O’Callaghan said. “There are a lot of assumptions on this, don’t take this as Gospel. Things could easily change.”
Forming a council-controlled water organisation with six other councils scored above Ōtorohanga retaining ownership of its water assets in four assessment categories, but the status quo trumped the multi council option in two categories.
In councillors’ assessments, the Waikato Water Done Well option was preferable in the areas of financial sustainability, operational effectiveness, partnerships, and regional leverage. But an enhanced status quo scored higher in the areas of community connectedness and maintaining viability.
Responding to concern that the Waikato Water Done Well option might take jobs out of the district, Engineering and Assets group manager Mark Lewis said there was nothing to suggest that there would not be any water services staff based in Ōtorohanga, although management may be from outside of the district.
Councillors will come back to the discussion in a workshop next Tuesday before making a decision on April 8 on the preferred option to consult on.
Consultation will take place from April 9 to May 8 followed by hearings and deliberations. The final decision on the future of Ōtorohanga’s water delivery will be made at June’s council meeting.
Water. Photo: pexels.com
