CODC restarts old conversation with new tagline - 'One District'

Months after receiving strong community pushback to moves to reign in the delegated authority given to its community boards, the Central Otago District Council is starting another conversation about how it structures funding and decision making across the district.

This time around, it is seeking to better control the narrative, titling a consultation document for the community signed off today as 'One District - Central Otago'.

At the moment, 82 percent of rates - for water, roading and waste - are collected at a district level, while the remaining 18 percent - for property, parks, cemeteries, pools and community grants (museums excluded) - are collected at a ward level.

From tomorrow (Thursday, August 1), the council is open for feedback on whether it should move towards a district-wide approach instead, meaning charges for services would be the same across its wards.

In a written statement today provided to media by the council's communication's team, Mayor Tim Cadogan lays out his rationale for the proposal:

"We are a council that just had an 18.3 percent average rates rise, which was closer to 30 percent in towns with three waters and wheelie bins supplied. 

"On that basis, we need to consider all options that will allow us to face increased costs into the future. 

"Part of the cause of the rates increase is the debt we have and that we will need to take on for infrastructure in the three waters and roading spaces, being core services that we have little choice in. 

"Managing the increase of that debt is of crucial importance moving forward and districtisation, if it progresses, will allow council in the Long Term Plan next year to consider asset sales to help meet our infrastructure needs, thereby reducing the future debt burden."

In the consultation document are three different options for the community to consider:

1. Full districtisation of property, parks, cemeteries, pools and museums – every ward pays an equal share
2. Districtise property, parks, cemeteries, pools and museums, but include a rating adjustment for the Teviot Valley ward to offset pool charges (as the ward does not have a council-run pool
3. Status quo, no change - property, parks, cemeteries, pools and museums continue to be funded by ward rates

"It is important to note that, if all services were districtised, this would not impact on current levels of service in each ward," the mayor says in today's statement.

"These would remain at the current level and could only be altered following consultation with the community through an annual or long-term plan process."

The Central Otago District Council is comprised of four wards - Cromwell, Vincent, Maniototo and Teviot Valley. ​

In what was a heated council in February, a number of Cromwell residents as well as community board members voiced their concerns at moves by the council  perceived to be an "asset grab".

In backing out of a motion to change delegated powers given to its community boards at that meeting, the mayor and a majority of councillors flagged a conversation about how the council divvied up and collected rates and where decision making power should sit was needed - and that conversation needed to happen before next year's Long Term Plan process.

At that time Mayor Cadogan asked: "Are we a federation of four wards or a district council?".

Last month, council staff in a workshop with the mayor and councillors asked for feedback on what key messaging should be adopted for its new consultation on districtisation.

'One District - Central Otago' was endorsed during that workshop.

The mayor as well as councillors, community board members and council staff will now front a series of public sessions at locations across the district during August, with each session beginning with a brief presentation followed by the opportunity for questions.

Keen to read more? The council has its own information page on the consultation. 

There will be a survey that will ask the community for their feedback on the three options that are being considered.

Printed copies of the survey and consultation document will also be available at council offices and libraries. ​

The public meetings (Supplied/CODC)