Letter to the Editor

 

Proper town planning needed
Dear John Robertson: In the three years in charge you have gotten us from $80 million debt to a sustainable financial base with a formula for easy living and working. You must be a hero. Einstein would be jealous!

My problem is that we have heard nearly the same three years ago from our former mayor (Neil) Tiller – until we were given notice of a huge hidden debt. Are we facing the same situation, but on a higher level?

We all know that development without proper town planning creates huge costs for the future. The new subdivisions demand much new infrastructure such as footpaths, etc. When I drive from Mangawhai to Kaiwaka and see all the new building sites I wonder what it will cost us when this road is similar to the infamous Whangaparaoa Road in Auckland?

But you are using the income from the new developments to fund 50 percent of existing interest cost for the existing debt. It is surely selling our assets.

Now you provide $2.7 million for the extension of the Mangawhai Waste Water Scheme. Scientific knowledge in this day and age tells us that we have to consider separation of grey water and toilet water and further yellow and black water for modern wastewater treatment plants. Up till now I have had no answer from the council to my question: Will this reticulation system run without using grey water?

The operational expenditure of the Mangawhai Community Waste Water Scheme 2013-14 has been nearly $2 million. This is an unbelievable annual $1,161 for each connected household (partly district-wide paid).

Each year the whole of the Kaipara district pays for our Mangawhai sewage plant. For 2015-16 each ratepayer pays $247 towards the complete capital costs for the Mangawhai WWS.

This is, surely, not sustainable!

Your success in the court case with the MRRA isn’t certain at all. You reject all payment offers from the elected ratepayer association. You want the penalties paid for illegally settled rates. This can’t be successful. You follow your lawyer’s advice. Can’t you see that their interest is to run an expensive lawsuit? Please consider you are dealing with our ratepayer money, not with your private assets.

It seems that you are only concentrating on the past, to set rates and collect them. But what our Mangawhai area really needs is a proper town planning, modern waste/water management, footpaths, road design, and service facilities that meet the growth.

Christian Simon
Mangawhai

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