Coalition of councils delivers alternative Three Waters plan to Parliament

Members of the C4LD gathered outside Parliament in Wellington to deliver their alternative water reform plan. Photo / Supplied

Local body representatives from Whanganui's neighbouring councils are asking the Government to pause on the Three Waters reforms and consider an alternative plan delivered to Parliament this week.

The Communities 4 Local Democracy He hapori mō te Manapori (C4LD) coalition is made up of mayors, chief executives and councillors from 32 of the country's 67 local authorities and includes representatives from Rangitīkei, Ruapehu and South Taranaki district councils.

The Government plans to transfer control of water infrastructure from local councils into four big regional water authorities from 2024.

Drinking water, stormwater and wastewater infrastructures were subject to a government inquiry after the gastroenteritis outbreak in Havelock North in 2016. The inquiry found that 20 per cent of New Zealand's local authorities were failing to meet the standards.

Councils were initially given until the end of 2021 to decide if they wished to opt out of the reforms but Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced in October that the reforms would become mandatory.

C4LD was formed in December and Whanganui district councillors voted last month against joining the coalition, agreeing instead to consult with the community to gauge their position on Three Waters and how to best lobby central government.

South Taranaki Mayor Phil Nixon said the group was keen to work with all parties to ensure any reforms had the broad base of support needed for major long-term infrastructure investment.

"The proposals we've brought to the table to enable the Government to deliver on all its aims, create opportunities for strong and lasting partnerships, and deliver safe, sustainable and affordable water services for all New Zealand," he said.

"They enable us to build on existing partnerships and forge new relationships with mana whenua at a local level that consider co-design and partnership arrangements to acknowledge and enable Te Tiriti-based pathways at a local and regional level."

Nixon said the proposals would also provide for the continuation of local influence and community property rights.

South Taranaki mayor Phil Nixon said the local democracy coalition's plan offers Three Waters solutions that would work for everyone. Bevan Conley

Ruapehu district councillor Adie Doyle is representing his district as the elected representative on C4LD after a vote last month resulted in Mayor Don Cameron and three councillors being defeated by a majority of eight in favour of joining the coalition.

Cameron said it was a disappointing result as his preference was to allow the independent working group, comprised of representatives from local government and iwi/Māori, to work with the minister and Department of Internal Affairs to find the best governance and accountability arrangements for water services entities.

"In the 15 years I've been in local government we have always known that water services have needed reforms," he said.

"The Havelock North situation flipped the lever for urgency because maintaining water infrastructure is simply unaffordable for many councils."

Cameron said he had visited Tasmania and Victoria in Australia where reforms similar to the ones proposed by the New Zealand Government were introduced a decade ago.

"They have been hugely successful, and in Victoria they are now looking at reducing the number of entities because they have reached standards that are efficient enough to allow them to run smoothly with less oversight. And they are also cost-efficient for communities which is what everyone wants," he said.

Nixon, however, was certain that C4LD's plan would "rescue the reforms" if the Government was willing to adopt the recommendations.

"We are not that far apart in our objectives, what we are offering in our 10-point plan is an approach that we believe would achieve broad support," he said.

"The whole local government sector is eager to partner and work with the Government to turn this around and find a lasting solution that we can all support."

C4LD's framework for reform is available at www.communities4localdemocracy.co.nz/ideas