Final reminder to have your say - Councillors' update May 2025

Consultation is open until 11 May on Waikato District Council’s Long Term Plan and proposal for a Waters Council-Controlled Organisation (CCO) with Hamilton City.

The draft plan sets out what the Council plans to do over the next nine years and how we’ll fund it, including maintaining our $2 billion in assets (such as roads, water treatment and reticulation, parks and open spaces) on your behalf.  It is based on a general rate increase of 4.25% for 2025/26 falling to an increase of 3.05% in 2026/27 and then mostly smaller rises of between 1.5% - 4.5% in subsequent years. Your proposed overall rates will rise depending on your property value, on which your rates are based, and on the range of services you get that attract targeted rates (such as reticulated water, rubbish/recycling, and hall rates). You can check the effect on your own property by going to our rating information database on www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/rid.

Among the major issues for your feedback is a new model for managing water services – a proposed CCO to be jointly-owned by Waikato District Councll and Hamilton City - to gain economies of scale that will, over time, help control the rising costs of treating and managing our drinking water and wastewater. We’re also seeking feedback on how and how much we invest in road maintenance. NZTA has agreed to continue to subsidise our maintenance programme, but we will not receive as much as we had hoped for. As well, NZTA has not approved about $35m of funding for our new (capital works) roading projects over the next two years as it needs to prioritise funding for building roads of national significance.

Other issues for your consideration include our rubbish/recycling services, fees and charges (including rubbish bag sticker prices which are set to rise from $1.50 to $3 after remaining unchanged for seven years and following pre-consultation last year), and how we charge development contribution levies – a one-time payment for developers or property owners to contribute to new infrastructure when they are building, sub-dividing or changing land use.

If you missed the drop-in session to discuss the plan with staff and Councillors in Tamahere this week, there's a final drop-in session at Gordonton Hall on Thursday 8 May at 6-7pm.  For more information, to read the LTP consultation document, and to have your say by 11 May, go to the Council website here: www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/say-it. 

SH1B Telephone Rd rail crossing

NZTA says work to upgrade the SH1B Telephone Rd crossing and adjacent Holland Rd intersection is on track to finish about mid-May, allowing Holland Rd to re-open. SH1B and the rail crossing is not expected to reopen until railway signals are in place – work that KiwiRail has scheduled for the second half of July – although KiwiRail is investigating options that may allow the crossing to reopen to traffic sooner. NZTA will update the community when there is a confirmed date for the rail crossing to reopen. Watch NZTA’s website for updates: www.nzta.govt.nz/projects.

Planning new facilities at Hillcrest-Matangi Sports Club

With additional land available at the Hillcrest-Matangi Sports Club following the subdivision of adjoining land, planning is underway to develop a staged approach to building and site improvements. The Council has set aside $380,000 for the development of hard surface multipurpose sports courts, and concept plans are being developed to determine where the courts should be sited, and also to allow for the future development of a new sports field, new carparking, a re-sited playground, and an area for a possible dog park.  The concept was introduced at a community meeting at the Sports Club in early April, with feedback invited, sparking fresh interest in connectivity between the club, Tauwhare Pa and Matangi.  Meanwhile the Sports Club is also examining what options might be available for upgrading its building.

Tamahere Reserve

The Council’s Open Spaces team have carried out a plan agreed with Tamahere Mangaone Restoration Trust and DoC to remove the pine trees deemed hazardous along the Tauwhare Rd edge of the Tamahere Reserve. Staff have undertaken that the main tracks in the reserve will be cleared for ongoing access.  They expect all easily accessible trees will be hauled out for stockpiling on the flat area in the reserve for chipping, and are working on a cost-neutral solution for removing the rest of the felled material.

Sport Waikato survey

The Council is encouraging Waikato district residents to complete a Sport Waikato online survey which is open until Friday 30 May. The survey targets school leavers and adults over 18 and aims to identify and overcome barriers to people taking part in physical activity, and to enhance opportunities to stay active in the district. There are prizes up for grabs for those who take part. The survey can be found at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/WaikatoDCMWCS.

Contact your Tamahere-Woodlands Councillors:

Crystal Beavis, mob 0275 957 927, email crystal.beavis@waidc.govt.nz

Mike Keir, mob 027 449 3012, email mike.keir@waidc.govt.nz