Council blunders affecting residents:
As predicted WBOPDC still has head-in-sand over growth related spending due to unrealistic internally-generated population increase figures. RUA councillors and ORA members queried them 10+ years ago and were told to shut up. Now Council wants to pretend there's just a short-term hiccup and all will come right in four years.
A vocal, packed meeting in Omokoroa last week should be catalyst for strong messages to council re their current overspending.
As usual council make all the platitudes of prudent fiscal management and cost trimming etc but the smoke and mirrors still exist.
Their 10yr financials are hard to grapple with, they need to tell us exactly what last year's income and expenditure was and where it went and how much we owe. They are asking for submissions on what we think. It's blindingly obvious what should be done, trim spending to match actual income.
The recently published 10yr plan gives 3 options for raising more money, they are all the same; get ratepayers to pay more. Not a skerrick of info on how council could trim spending to suit present income, there are some things we could live without.
Council should reduce it's borrowing ratios and cut all growth-related spending and only reinstate when cash is in the bank.
Please take the pressure off ratepayers, better still be the first NZ council to actually reduce rates and give newcomers a reason to settle here.

Russ Heys, Omokoroa.