The Dunedin City Council remains uncomfortable about Three Waters reform, despite changes to the model, it seems.
Councillors are set to discuss today how they will go about again making their views known to the Government.
It has been recommended they delegate authority to council chief executive Sandy Graham and infrastructure services committee chairman Cr Jim O’Malley to prepare a draft submission to Parliament’s select committee on the Water Services Entities Amendment Bill, and then send the final version.
Cr O’Malley, or his delegate, might also be delegated authority to present arguments verbally.
The Government announced in April there would be 10 entities, rather than the previously proposed four.
This change, which would result in Dunedin being part of an Otago-Southland grouping, was welcomed as an improvement.
However, many of the key points for the proposed draft submission have a familiar ring.
The service model was still fundamentally flawed, it was stated in the executive summary of the council’s report.
Legislation might result in more expensive charges for households than they would face under the existing system, the council report said.
"Council questions why it should transfer such significant community assets if the model itself is flawed.
"The underlying financial modelling is flawed and needs to be recalculated."
It appeared the council remained concerned about implications for city planning if the Otago-Southland entity exerted "investment power" over the council’s ability to plan for future land use.
Implications for emergency management were flagged again.
The council has historically lamented the Government’s attitude to receiving feedback and this was touched on again in the executive summary.
"Due to the extremely short period for submissions ... It is nearly impossible to consider what is being proposed, let alone consult with council’s community.
"For this to be a recurring theme on the introduction of each Bill in the entire suite of legislation is cynical."
