Waikato River
12 September 2025
Updated to include responses from Clyde Graf and Stuart Kneebone.
10 September 2025
A disagreement over the definition of “consultants” versus “consultancy services” has put a team of Waikato Regional Council candidates at odds with chair Pamela Storey.
Pamela Storey
The Rates Control team is made up of six incumbent councillors and two election hopefuls – Garry Reymer (Waipā-King Country) and Gary McGuire (Waikato).
Sitting Waipā-King Country councillor Clyde Graf is also a member of the group which claims the council spent $16.945 million on consultants in the financial year ending June 30, 2024.
But chair Pamela Storey says the actual figure is $793,000, a number confirmed by chief executive Chris McLay.
Finance committee chair Chris Hughes, also a Rates Control team member, said the larger figure appears under a “consultancy services” heading and includes more than 160 individuals or companies.
Clyde Graf – 2025
“Cr Storey seems to want to split hairs about the difference between ‘consultants’ and ‘consultancy services’… accusing our Rates Control Team of ‘mis-information,” said Hughes.
“But the truth is that the Rates Control Team is campaigning for a line-by-line review of the spending on all consultancy services… and we remain committed to this drive to reduce wasteful spending.”
Storey pushed back, saying the team’s claims were inaccurate.
“Our community deserves open, transparent and accurate information so people can have confidence in making informed choices,” she said.
“When groups promote misleading figures, whether deliberately or by mistake, it undermines trust in democracy.”
Stuart Kneebone – 2025
She said consultant expenditure is modest relative to overall council operations and external expertise is only used when highly technical or specialised skills are required.
The Rates Control team also includes current councillors Ben Dunbar-Smith, Warren Maher, Mich’eal Downard and Robbie Cookson.
There is a history of tension between Storey and the councillors, including over her use of a casting vote to return the council to Local Government New Zealand and retain a $2.5 million surplus rather than refund it to ratepayers.
Garry Reymer – 2025
Storey encouraged the public to seek information directly from the council’s published documents – such as the annual report and open meeting papers – rather than relying on unverified figures.
Hughes has also disputed the regional council’s $288 million spend on electric buses and terminals.
“This would likely see a massive increase in rates – which is not acceptable to our team.
“Our current view is to “sweat the current assets” and utilise the current diesel bus fleet until 2035.”
The team also said it would support a review of regional councils with potential amalgamations.
Regional candidates respond
Liz Stolwyk
We asked the four Waikato Regional Council Waipā-King Country candidates 10 questions about why they should be elected.
See: Liz Stolwyk
See: Garry Reymer
See: Clyde Graf
See: Stu Kneebone
