I have followed with great interest the various reactions to the recent news of the Central Government directing Local Governments to reduce debt and sop the rates hikes.
In anticipation of the amendment we had two Councillors of the Regional Council advocating that the environmental work should continue. We also had that organisation talking in terms of a 10% rate increase.
That not only includes the ratepayers of Tauranga and Western Bay but also Rotorua, Kawerau and Whakatane. Could it be that the Regional Council is anticipating that with virtually no new projects being undertaken by local Councils the huge fees charged for Resource Consent applications will all but dry up.
These applications go with most of the projects and generally amount to between 10 and 15% of the overall cost of the project. It is not unusual for the consent to cost more than the engineering work. In some cases where the application is rejected lawyers become involved with the Local Council obliged to pick up the tab for both lawyers.
Bill Faulkner recently cited the case of the Mount Hotpool repair/upgrade and the $50,000 consent fee required by the Regional Council. He asked, what for? It is time that other Council reps also asked this question of their MP's with Central Government looking to have more say in the workings of Local Government. If not councillors asking the questions, then why not engineers, contractors and ratepayers all of who are going to be affected by the cut backs in work and the hikes in rates.

Peter Turner, Te Puna.