Candidates promising a zero rate rises are ”living in la la land”, says Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon.
Speaking at a mayoral debate run by GreyPower North Canterbury on Tuesday, Gordon took aim at his opponent, councillor Paul Williams, who promised zero percent rate rises from the 2027/28 financial year.
”Zero rating is just a fallacy unless you cut services,” Gordon said. ”Will libraries close? Will hours be reduced? Will swimming pools have lifeguards cut?
”Debt allows us to spread the cost out over 25 years and we are told we are one of the best councils in the country for managing our debt.
”We will continually look at how we can make savings, but any candidate who says they will have zero rates is living in la la land.”
Williams opened his address by taking aim at the council’s debt, which sits at $220m and is projected to grow to $324m over the next six years in the 2024/34 Long Term Plan.
”The first job for a council is to live within its means,” he said. ”We need to act immediately to stop the debt getting out of control.”
He said the interest payments alone on $324m would be around $1.5m a month ($50,000 a day).
To help pay down debt, Williams said he would review the council’s property portfolio and sell off any property which did not ”fulfill a clear purpose”.
He took particular aim at a 85ha property on Lineside Road, purchased by the council in 2023 for $2.6m to restore as a natural wetland, which he referred to as a ”duck pond”.
”Debt reduction will not be our main priority in the first three years. We will look at putting council on a more prudent financial path.”
Williams questioned the viability of the urgent, after hours medical centre being built at the Rangiora Health Hub, as doctors are in short supply.
He said the council needed to lobby the government to fund the project.
The council has entered into a partnership with South Link Education Trust, with the council loan funding the project and the trust responsible for servicing the loan.
Gordon said it will be a subsidised service backed by Te Whatu Ora Health NZ and it will be able service over 20,000 patients, no matter where they are registered between 8am and 10pm.
”We are advised they believe very strongly they will be able to find the doctors to staff it.
”I think for a starter it is a pretty good service. But we as a council will continue to push for more after hours healthcare. It’s what we deserve.”
Williams is standing as part of a team of six male candidates, known as Standing Together for Waimakariri, while Gordon is standing as an independent.
When asked by an audience member why there were no women on his team, Williams said they had tried to ”get women on board”, but they didn’t have the right skill set, experience or the time.
”But we all have wives,” he said.
Gordon said he had led a council of men and women with a range of skill sets for the last six years.
”We all bring our skill sets and Paul has been a part of that over nine years.
”On councils where there is party politics there is dysfunction, whereas we come together and talk about what’s in the best interest of our district.”
Councils’ debt-to-revenue ratios are monitored by the Local government Funding Agency, with limits on borrowing.
The Waimakariri District Council’s latest credit rating is AA- with a stable outlook.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
