COuncil Hears Submission Feedback

 Submission to the Kaipara District Councils Long Term Plan 2024-2027:

Dargaville Ratepayers and Residents Association – who we are

The Dargaville Ratepayers Association is a newly formed group advocating for residents on local issues, particularly council decisions and spending. We aim to be a collaborative voice for the community and ensure residents' voices are heard. We have only formed in the last two weeks and have over 340 members. 

We wish to discuss with you today, rate hikes, library and parks,  infrastructure, staffing, climate resilience and the emissions trading scheme cost to locals and council.  

Proposed Rate Hike:

The Dargaville Ratepayers & Residents Association (DRRA) strongly opposes the proposed rate increases in the Long-Term Plan for 2024 - 2027

What we propose instead

Please consider: Instead of starting with a crushing 15.1 percent “average” increase, let's begin with the smallest hike possible i.e. 3.4 percent followed by “much” smaller increases, over the next two LTP years. 

Why we stand by our proposal

• Uncertainty Around Three Waters Reform: This makes financial sense with Three Waters reform looming in mid-2025. Until we know what support that new entity offers, delaying big infrastructure projects is wise.  This avoids unnecessary debt and could lead to even lower rates down the line if the government helps fund water projects. Furthermore if inflation falls and interest rates come down as predicted this may negate the need to borrow as much if costs reduce.

• National Worker Shortage: Furthermore, there is currently a lack of labour for hire workforce nationally due to the huge infrastructure rebuild costs related to cyclone Gabrielle, so taking ratepayer money would be redundant in the event that it cannot be spent.

• Impact on Dargaville's Demographics: Dargaville's demographics highlight the unfairness of these increases. With a median income of $22,000 (Statistics NZ 2018 Census), these rates disproportionately impact low-income residents and seniors.

• Risk of Out Migration: News reports show residents leaving town due to the proposed rates,(https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/03/14/kaipara-pensioners-risk-having-to-sell-homes-due-to-rates-hike/). This exodus, combined with a lack of services (we cite many of our members' complaints about lack of basic services such as rubbish/ recycling collection, footpath maintenance, town beautification), could create a "ghost town" scenario. The Council needs a sustainable strategy that doesn't drive residents away from our friendly and historic town.

• We are currently in a recession facing high rates of inflation: It does not make good business sense for the council to adopt a high growth and development strategy at times of record high inflation. 

• The Rates increase is much higher than what is stated: We feel the "average" rate increase of 8.9% is actually misleading as many are facing much higher than average rate increases. All up the rates increase over 3 years is 26.9 percent across our district and for many Dargaville residents it is considerably higher. This is a significant burden for those in our community, especially seniors on fixed incomes and families already stretched thin.  Despite council stating there will be a 15.1 percent average increase in the first year we note many in Dargaville are facing much higher rate increases i.e. 25 percent in the first year alone. 

Further alternative solutions: 

Seek Central Government Support:  A large proportion of our rates goes towards the upkeep of our large roading network, we therefore urge the KDC councilors to lobby central government to partially fund our roads via taxes received from vehicles using those networks, i.e. forestry, dairy, farmers. Kaipara has a large roading network, a significant portion of the rates go towards maintaining it and of course repairing damage caused by Cyclone Gabriel. Forestry and farms rely on rural roads, yet all ratepayers are required to supplement operations and capital costs.  Is there an opportunity to relieve the burden on ratepayers by tapping into central government funding (tax taken from farm/ forestry) considering Kaipara District has a large area with a relatively small number of ratepayers? 

2: Library and Parks

We support the status quo and strongly oppose Option 1: Targeted Rate, as we feel that most Dargaville residents cannot afford $415/year and we feel people from outside of the area access the library also i.e. residents visiting town from Kaihu, Te Kopuru, Tangowahine etc.  We also do not agree that parks and libraries should be lumped together under a targeted rate for reasons of transparency. We would like to know where money is being spent, is it library or is it parks?

What we want to see in a HUB

A hub with community facilities such as a funky modern cafe, memorial hall, meeting room, children's play area, plant section, arts and crafts area (that teaches art, writing etc) could enhance the library experience, encourage community engagement, and could potentially generate funds that could reduce the rates burden. This aligns with our growing population and more families moving to the area. We want to attract and encourage people to stay in our region. Our library must not die but to survive it needs to evolve to meet the changing needs of locals i.e. “provide e-readers to people who can't afford them, lend e-books, art, music, teach classes:https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2012/10/02/will-public-libraries-become-extinct/?sh=1eee9e94693c 

Parking in a safe location would be ideal too i.e. out the back of station road as opposed to the very busy Hokianga Road which is troublesome to cross with young children in tow. 

To ensure the library remains efficient and caters to our community's needs, we encourage the Council to analyze data on visitor numbers alongside staffing levels. This collaborative approach could identify opportunities to optimize library operations while maintaining excellent service.  

Parks Wishlist: 

• We consider a fence is urgently needed around the playground at Selwyn Park, as this is very seriously an accident waiting to happen with children playing beside a state highway. Could a trust be established to apply for funding for this?

• Council should lobby NZTA for a pedestrian crossing for Selwyn park - as crossing a highway for residents to get to the park is not at all safe. 

• We support community planting days–beautification of Dargaville and will be happy to assist to facilitate events .

• Selwyn Park could do with some trees in the middle of the park and a pathway between the pools and playground, large trees that provide shelter, not cabbage trees or plantings like Riverside as these do not provide shelter and create an unsafe feeling. Just single trees dotted along a winding path for aesthetic reasons and shelter for those wanting to picnic. 

• The erection of a small playground on Montgomery Avenue, on council owned land - for those that live on the other side of town.

• Is it feasible to open an all year round gym and cafe up at the pool and closing in the heated pool area for all year round use. 

3.Climate Resilience and Adaptation - “A great opportunity"

How much funding, if any, should Council commit to a climate resilience programme?

We support $500k over 2024-2027. 

Dargaville CBD is at serious risk of damage if a severe cyclone were to hit during spring tides, whether you believe in global warming or not, the risk is still very apparent.

We were lucky cyclone Gabrielle hit during low tides and only 20 houses were red stickered throughout our district, the majority of which were in Dargaville. 

Our major concern would be if an event like this were to occur during these high tides, our CBD would undoubtedly go under water. Our sole supermarket Woolworths and The Warehouse are located right near the banks of the Northern Wairoa River, it’s almost guaranteed they would be destroyed and as such locals would have little means to feed and clothe themselves for potentially months on end. 

We cite the town of Lismore on Australia's east coast as a prime example, a medium sized semi rural town located on the banks of the Wilsons River, their CBD was situated on the flats adjacent to the river. Very similar layout and design to Dargaville. According to news reports when the river burst its banks it wiped out nearly every business in town as well as 4,000 homes. One year on from that tragedy and less than 20 percent of businesses and homes had been rebuilt. It took four months for their major supermarkets to reopen. 

Should Dargaville residents have to suffer a similar fate? We think not. 

We suggest Council do the following:

• We want council to strongly promote and work alongside developers to create a commercial development away from flood planes and that which promotes the region and has views of our beautiful river - The Northern Wairoa River. 

• We want council to approach Progressives - the owner of Woolworths to see if they would be interested in relocating to another area - they face huge costs with constantly having to fix potholes in their carpark area and possibly huge insurance premiums, being located alongside the river.

• We therefore suggest Council put funds towards this project in a way that would help move this project forward in a timely manner

• We noted land east of Awakino Road and the aves, which is currently farmland. Could be an ideal location due to its alleviation and idyllic views of the river. We understand this has been zoned residential and parts of this area are currently under development. BUT NO COMMERCIAL ZONE HAS BEEN GIVEN APPROVAL IN THIS AREA YET.

• We suggest Council look at what they could do to help progress such a project (offer support, pay to build road to access the site, help make development run smoothly)

• We suggest Council work with developers and even pay for the costs to rezone the land commercial as it would benefit the community at large. 

• A commercial zone away from flooding with views would provide many benefits including:

  • long term security - floods can cause devastating economic losses due to business closures, repairs, and lost inventory. An elevated CBD minimizes these disruptions, promoting economic stability and investor confidence. 

  • Flood Protection: A flood plain is highly susceptible to flooding, putting lives, property, and infrastructure at risk. An elevated CBD removes the risk of flood damage entirely, ensuring the safety of residents and businesses. 

  • Better tourism potential with businesses having ‘actual views’ of the river

  • Aesthetically more pleasing for everyone shopping or dining out

  • Creates tourism 

  • Uplifts the people 

  • More jobs - another CBD area would create more jobs

  • Insurance Costs: The risk of flood damage translates to higher insurance premiums for businesses and residents in flood plains. An elevated location reduces these costs, making the town more economically attractive. 

  • Safety - Floods leave behind stagnant water and debris, leading to mold growth and contamination risks. 

This is not to replace our current CBD 

We do not view this new piece of commercial land as a replacement for Dargavilles CBD but rather complementary too, offering just another alternative for shoppers, with the main focus on the need for a supermarket to be located in an area that does not flood, to ensure we do not ever face the same fate as those living in Lismore. We envisage this development would progress slowly and only start with a small handful of shops and perhaps one cafe to start with (small scale commercial block). Similar to a strip mall, one road with a row of shops and a supermarket (the supermarket not necessarily needing views but needing to be elevated). We are not asking council to reinvent the wheel here or to relocate the entire CBD somewhere else as we do not see this as feasible at all. But we do see a small scale commercial area as possible and totally logical, as a great opportunity for the region which supports many outlying areas also. We are not asking council to fund the build of a commercial block of buildings - but to negotiate with and direct developers towards this end as a logical thing we should do to ensure the future safety of food supply and resilience in our region. 

We feel that it would be incredibly shortsighted of council not to pursue, support and help develop such a project. If in the event a big flood event did happen and residents ended up facing a natural disaster of the magnitude mentioned above, then it would be on councils hands for not having the foresight or courage to pursue this project as it we do not believe it would be too costly, it would be something Council would only need negotiate and support developers in doing. 

STOP BANKS: We do support the improvement of stop banks but we do not see stop banks as the "sole" answer as these have a long history of failing as they did during cyclone Gabrielle in several other regions through-out NZ - see Reference below 30 stop banks breached in cyclone Gab in one region in nz. 

As a result we feel that stop banks are like putting a bandaid on a bullet wound. It's not a fullproof solution and that is actually in our view more expensive than the option of working with developers to ensure a commercially viable site is developed. In saying this stop banks are definitely beneficial and it would also be good to see improvement and investment towards stop banks. We have not seen a feasibility study on this and therefore cannot accurately say how much this would cost. 

Design is important and we strongly feel that views are important and a new commercial zone should rate views of the river as high on the list of must haves- Dargavilles current CBD layout was in our view lacked foresight with it was first constructed, as it was no doubt done because back then boats travelled to town and it made sense for people to have instant access to shops when they got off the boats they travelled on. Now everyone drives cars etc. The current layout of the CBD puts us on the backfoot in terms of tourism and being a destination town as shops are all designed with their backs facing the river, not taking advantage of what is a beautiful view and therefore affecting the ambience and sense of flow in the town and making us less diseriable place to visit compared to places that make the most of their towns assets like beaches, lakes or rivers. Hence we see that it would make absolute common sense to have some shops especially a cafe that has river views and is safe from flooding etc. Many towns have more than one business district, so why can't we?

Reference:

Cyclone Gabrielle floodwaters breached stopbanks in 30 locations around Hawke's Bay mostly along the Tūtaekurī and Ngaruroro Rivers (in the wider Napier and Hastings area) as well as the Waipawa River: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/hawkes-bay-stopbanks-have-major-inherent-weaknesses-13k-report-commissioned-by-local-farmer-finds/6ER4F2WCLBCD3ITCF6XGTYTDHM/#:~:text=Cyclone%20Gabrielle%20floodwaters%20breached%20stopbanks,well%20as%20the%20Waipawa%20River.

Lismore Floods: https://www.9news.com.au/national/lismore-floods-one-year-anniversary-survivors-recovery-in-limbo-buy-backs-raising-retrofit-northern-new-south-wales-disaster/543d6dc6-1539-422a-b50a-29a6eb63a12f

4. Infrastructure Concerns

4.1 General

We understand that retaining Mangawhai’s wastewater system is a disappointment for the Council with the Three Water Legislation scrapped/ stalled, as clearly the historic budget blowout is still affecting us in a major way.

Notwithstanding this, we request that the Council look to minimize major further capital expenditure on Three Waters Projects until it is clearer what, and how a possible new water entity will service the Kaipara District.  We do, however, consider that there is room for minor projects which provide bang for buck, and request Councils serious consideration.

It is unclear what the Council intends to spend the lions share of the budget on from the consultation document.  We ask the Council to be more transparent about this when they consult, so that the community is better informed about what their rates are actually paying for.  For example, of the $87 million proposed to be spent on roads, only $9.2 is proposed to be spent on recovery.  What is the rest for, and in what ways does this help Dargaville?  What of the remaining $52 million capex, is any of this going towards anything for Dargaville?

4.2 Wastewater treatment plants - Treatment

We understand that treated wastewater is discharged into the Northern Wairoa River from the treatment plants at Dargaville (via riparian strip) and from Te Kopuru. We have concerns about the level of treatment and potential effects on the river. 

We understand that Mangawhai’s wastewater treated effluent is directed away from the ocean and instead is disposed to land at significant cost.  This is a high level of service and protects the moana.

We as residents are extremely concerned about the damage to our River and harbour and the damage to our environment along with the flow on effect to the health of our people.

We believe there are better alternatives to the way in which Dargaville and Te Kopuru handles its wastewater and would like to see upgrades planned for the current systems that reflect current standards and uphold community values when it comes to respecting our River and harbour and the kaimoana that comes from it. 

We see that the Maungaturoto treatment plant required step screen pre-treatment (to remove inorganics) and membrane filtration plant to improve water quality.  Why have Dargaville and Te Kopuru not also been upgraded to this standard to improve water quality before it is discharged to the River and harbour, and remove rubbish from the influent which can result in it entering the environment?   We urge the Council to plan for these upgrades to happen to lift the level of service.  We note that serviced towns are all now paying the same high rate for wastewater services, though the level of service we receive are vastly different.

4.3 Wastewater treatment plants - Flooding Effects

We are concerned whether the Dargaville and Te Kopuru wastewater treatment plants pond embankments are vulnerable to breach at high river levels during storm events or high spring tides.

4.4 Wastewater network

4.4.1 Odours – Riverside Gardens

We have concerns about odours emanating from the pump station/ storage tank located in Riverside Gardens. Events held in the Riverside Gardens such as the annual easter egg hunt, teddy bears picnic and children’s day are all popular with locals.  At times, we notice strong odours coming from from the sewerage pump station/tanks.  It is not pleasant and can often be smelt when purchasing food at Countdown, or visiting the Warehouse, and of course using the reserve. This makes our community an unattractive place to live.  Having put up with the odours gives a bad look to tourists or potential new residents who may be considering moving to Dargaville. We request that Councils considers installing odour control on the pump station/ storage tanks to prevent odours from occurring in the park.

4.4.2 Flooding of the Pump Station

We have concerns for the safety of our river if and when flooding occurs in Riverside Gardens with the pump station being so close to the river. We request that Council ensures that the pump station and storage tanks are at a level where they will not be breached by high river levels during floods and high spring tides. 

4.4.3 Odours – Victoria Reserve

We also have concerns about the pump station located next to the toilets in the Victoria Reserve.  The odours are particularly bad there most of the time, which again is a bad look for tourists and visitors and locals who use the picnic tables located in Victoria Reserve and take what should be a pleasant stroll along the stopbank.  Again, we request that KCD considers installing odour control on this pump station.

4.5 Stormwater Network – Flooding

What is planned to protect Dargaville township from long term effects of river flooding due to storm events and high spring tides.  Parts of the town rely heavily on stop banks and floodgates which do not always operate effectively.  We request the KCD has forward plan to protect our town and engages with our community, including businesses on how best this can be achieved. - Please see point 6. 

4.6 Stormwater Network – Efficiency and Treatment

Stormwater is collected and discharged directly to the river along with all the contaminants.  Stormwater can have a worse effect on the environment than treated wastewater.  We therefore request that the Council considers using treatment devices in areas most susceptible to contamination with rubbish and pollution to protect our River.  We also request that Council think about where they locate rubbish bins, where overflow inevitably ends up in the drain or directly in the river.

4.7 Water Supply

Dargaville is subjected to water restrictions nearly every summer. Surely this is not sustainable as it not only affects existing residents and businesses, but also stimies growth. We request that the Council goes some way to address this in the first three years of the Long Term Plan.  In our view the Council needs to consider the benefits of renewing the aged water supply network as this will help prevent water loss.  These works would be of benefit while the long-term solution is planned (i.e. extending the existing dam storage or connection to the new Tai Tokerau Water Trust scheme).

4.8 Roading and footpaths – urban

4.8.1 Berm Maintenance

While we generally agree with the Council's position that property owners are responsible for maintaining the berms, we request the Council's intervention when berms become safety hazards or nuisances to pedestrians and cyclists. This is especially important because narrow footpaths, often located on only one side of the road, leave pedestrians with no alternative route. Furthermore, unkempt berms on major roads like Hokianga Road, Victoria Street, and Jervois/Normanby Streets create an unsightly impression for visitors to our towns.

4.8.2 Footpaths

We support ongoing maintenance and improvement/ widening of our footpaths to cater for all users including mobility scooters and cyclists, especially on busy routes (shared paths). We believe there are streets in Dargaville that should have footpaths on both sides of the road not just one i.e. Ranfurly st and Montgomery Avenue. 

4.8.2 Road surface damage

There are a significant number of cattle trucks and metal cartage trucks that use Victoria Street and Hokianga Road as “shortcut” when heading north/ west causing damage to the Council owned roads, which it is assumed that Council has to pay a proportion of the repairs.  We request that the Council consider how this issue may be addressed to reduce maintenance costs for ratepayers and make our streets safer for all users e.g. traffic calming/ speed reduction.

Lastly we have heard reports from locals stating that they have caught snapper in our harbour recently which had multiple deformities. We have no evidence of this however, it is just hearsay. But we will be asking locals to document such discoveries going forward as it is very concerning to us. 

5. Title: Streamline Council Operations and Reduce Costs

The Dargaville Ratepayers & Residents Association is concerned about Council spending, particularly staffing costs.

High Staff Salaries:

• Reports indicate Kaipara District Council has one of the highest proportions of staff earning over $100,000 in New Zealand. (https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1708/S00436/staff-at-kaipara-district-council-new-zealands-best-paid.html) Currently 30 percent of Fulltime staff earn over $100k. https://ratepayersreport.nz/kaipara-district-council/ - so this has gone up considerably since the original article was published. 

• We urge the Council to review these salaries and explore opportunities for cost savings.

Proposed Actions:

• We urge the Council to conduct a review of staffing costs, including salaries and office space utilization.

• Explore opportunities for consolidation and remote work arrangements (for locals) to reduce unnecessary overhead costs.

6. Remove red tape - make processes and development processes more streamlined in order to promote economic development

We wish to see processes become more efficient and straightforward for developers. 

Some  barriers and obstacles faced by developers in the Kaipara are in our view: Long wait times for processing zoning changes i.e. lifestyle to residential. We have heard from developers who have concerns about the difficulty of doing business with the KDC and we think that there is room for improvement here. 

This can be achieved through: conducting thorough reviews of existing regulations and procedures. Once the key issues have been identified, steps should be taken to simplify and clarify the requirements for development approvals, reduce duplication of processes, and improve communication between various departments and agencies involved in the decision-making process. 

In addition, the use of technology and data-driven approaches can help streamline the review and approval process, increase transparency and accountability, and ensure that decisions are made in a timely manner. 

By implementing these measures, councils can create a more efficient and business-friendly environment for developers, ultimately stimulating economic growth and promoting sustainable development.

Furthermore, providing clear and accessible information on the council's website, hosting information sessions or workshops for developers, and assigning dedicated staff to work with developers can also help address these issues and improve communication between developers and the council. 

Overall, by addressing these barriers and making the development approval process more efficient and transparent, councils can support developers in the Kaipara district and promote economic development and growth in the region.

7. Emission Trading Scheme - cost to council

Locals have advised us they are concerned about the damage ETS - pine tree forests are having on the local environment and the cost to us ratepayers in regards to damage to roads and the cost to our local fire brigade and as such our local community at large. 

The issues are as follows:

• Damage to our local eco system, the drying up of water ways, damager to native wildlife, eradication of native fish in the waterways, no requirement for pest control and the 'poisoning' of the soil due to the pines being allelopathic (acidify the soil around them).

• They're also a huge fire risk as these trees are planted very close together. There are no water storage requirements, fire breaks nor access to be provided for ETS forests. 

• Wilding Pines are used in these forests the concern being they are lower grade and problematic. 

• Economic tainting of the land, that will become worthless due to the money owing on the land due to the payments that have been received by the land owner. 

• Retraction of rural communities and loss of community. 

We feel that due to the huge costs of such farms to our local community - that councilors should be able to lobby central government and introduce rules around what is and what isn't acceptable to our region - rules around where these farms can exist and how many can exist before great damage occurs. 

We also wonder if a percentage of the funds that farmers receive for these types of forests be returned to our local community in a form of a tax. We support our local councilors in lobbying central government to this end.