Councils have been scrambling to ‘consult’ on regional merger proposals to meet the August deadline for joining the Government’s “head start” process for local government reform. According to minister Chris Bishop it’s a choice: “Lead…
Recent Waikato District Council decisions to cut rates increases, and to find efficiencies in waters services and parks maintenance, are part of a longer-term effort to balance the cost of growth with ratepayer affordability. With…
The establishment of jointly owned council-controlled waters organisations (CCOs) marks the culmination of 10 years of Government-led investigations, changes to regulatory water quality standards, and water services structural reform since the 2016 Havelock North water…
I saw the “Not Only Fred Dagg” documentary just before New Year. It reminded me how much we need to be able to laugh at ourselves and how much we appreciate someone who can help…
New Zealand is small enough to give each of us almost unmatched access to decision-makers at national and local level compared with most western nations. We angst about voter turnout, yet we are still one…
Change is in the air for 2025 at Waikato District Council as we welcomed our new chief executive this week. Craig Hobbs brings with him a strong knowledge of local government, having been chief executive…
New Zealand’s economic outlook is still patchy despite some greener shoots showing for 2025. So says Infometrics chief executive and principal economist Brad Olsen, who addressed a Waikato District Council workshop last week as the…
Business confidence has surged to the highest it has been in 10 years according to the latest ANZ business outlook survey. We’re still in a recession with unemployment rising, so we’re at a low ebb…
Waikato District Council has just adopted its annual plan for the year ahead and has managed to drop the average general rates increase to 11.9 per cent from the 13.75 per cent first proposed. Guided…
I was privileged to represent Waikato District Council at a Matangi community gathering last weekend to honour a long-standing community stalwart Graham Membery. Graham was born in Matangi and has lived there all his life…
