Fears for Wairoa’s roading after extra funding request turned down

Craig Little said the community was 5 per cent short of the required roading funding, which equates to around $1.4m. Photo / NZME

Wairoa Mayor Craig Little is concerned about the future of Wairoa’s roading network after Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency rejected a request to stump up $1.4 million to repair storm-damaged roads.

The Wairoa District Council receives an emergency works Funding Assistance Rate (FAR) of 95 per cent, but had applied for 100 per cent bespoke funding to repair the hundreds of slips and drop-outs which occurred across the region’s roading network during the severe weather events in March and April last year.

While the Waka Kotahi board had confirmed the 95 per cent funding, which equates to around $26m, a letter before Christmas from board chairman Sir Brian Roche said it was not in a position to consider a FAR of 100 per cent.

Little said that left the community in the difficult position of being 5 per cent short of the required funding, which equates to around $1.4m.

“Our concern is the impact the lack of funding could have on the long-term sustainability of the Wairoa roading network and the people who drive on it,” he said.

“We will do everything we can within our financial constraints to mitigate risks but this situation is a concern.

“A safe, connected roading network throughout all of New Zealand is an expectation of all taxpayers.

“Wairoa’s roading network is used by local residents but also by visitors and non-residents, and contributes to the region and country’s GDP [gross domestic product], with safe transport connectivity throughout the whole of New Zealand a core national service.

“We remain appreciative of the 95 per cent funding commitment but for a small council like ours to find that additional 5 per cent is almost impossible.

“Without additional funding our options are significant rates increases, borrowing more money or cutting the roading budget.

“None of these options are sustainable or what we want.

“We will be going back to Waka Kotahi to see if there is any room for movement... as a council we will need to make decisions on how we are going to manage this situation as we move forward.

Little said that Roche’s letter to them stated that “the ongoing scale of emergency works from severe weather events is putting significant pressure on the local road maintenance activity classes. Following the board’s review, the investment target for this activity class has remained constant and therefore we are currently managing this within the existing budgets”.

“This type of decision is not dissimilar to Three Waters where there is simply not enough funding given to local authorities to do the job,” Little said.

“My hope is that central government recognises the impact these weather events have had on our country and financially supports local authorities to reinstate their weather-damaged roading networks.

“Locally we have identified and prioritised key sites across Wairoa’s roading network with design plans completed and repairs under way.

“The repair work is expected to take place over the next three years and includes the repair to the Te Reinga Bridge, along with hundreds of slips and nearly 100 dropouts.”

A Waka Kotahi spokesman said the ongoing scale of emergency works from severe weather events, not just in Wairoa but around the country, was “putting significant pressure” on the funding available for local road maintenance.

“It’s important to ensure this fund remains available for all councils,” the spokesman said.

“We understand and acknowledge the challenges faced by councils and the impact of these weather events on residents of the district.

“Emergency works from severe weather events all around the country continue to put significant pressure on the funding available, and to ensure all councils continue to have access to this fund, the Waka Kotahi board is not in a position to consider a bespoke FAR of 100 per cent in this instance.”

- Gisborne Herald