Here’s most of the agenda for the HB Regional Council’s June 25 meeting.
- Adoption of the 2025/26 Annual Plan and setting of the associated rates
- Adoption of the Regional Public Transport Plan 2025-2035
- Napier-Hastings Future development Strategy adoption
- Maritime assets acquisition
- Climate Change Risk Assessment recommendations
- Chief Executive employment review
- HBRIC Statement of Intent 2025/26
- Reducing flood risk in HB
- Heretaunga Water Security update
- Potential options of Regional Water Security
- Update on the Flood Resilience Programme
- Report from the Risk and Audit Committee
Important stuff or not? Regional thinking about regional challenges.
Mitigating flood risk, looking more deeply at regional water conservation, targeting land for future development, identifying climate change mitigation/adaptation measures, de-risking Port ownership, grappling with regional transportation needs.
Anything there strike you as unimportant?
Meantime, media is reporting that PM Luxon is considering scrapping regional councils, echoing Minister Shane Jones (who’s happy to gut any law, regulation or entity whose purpose is to protect the environment).
Says Luxon: “I have a personal view that I think that’s something that we can explore as part of that Resource Management Act legislation that Chris Bishop is driving through.” Clueless!
I think the Councils purest quality is delivering whopping rates rises, gathering debt, and inflating generations of the average dweller out of the game.
So who will take over their assets/liabilities and responsibilities? Central govt? The 2 local councils?
Let’s scrap central government too! Save $billions! Turn the beehive into a carpark!
It’s as if someone casually brought up the not-even-half-baked idea during a boozy session at the Backbencher … or maybe Sir Humphrey prompted one of the liarbots to “Come up with a plan to cut unnecessary government spending” then passed it up the chain or casually released it to the press to create a stir and cover up something else.
This national govt has To go. They are contra to this planets survival. What’s wrong w these people. Dangerous.
ACT and Shane Jones have an agenda that destroys any environmental care and attention in favour of big business interests. Getting rid of Regional Councils advances that cause so that’s a good reason to keep them in place. Whether I support the Councils or not is beside the point – yes they can do better but losing them means losing a buffer zone that at least tries to protect our environment from destruction in the name of progress
Despite doing an imperfect job, HBRC does work to protect the environment in a way that the district councils will not. They copped a lot of flak for the last Wairoa flood, but it was not solely their fault. They took a role in ensuring that the Wairoa wastewater scheme was upgraded, despite WDC fighting tooth and nail to keep any improvements as “aspirational.” They are needed.
It was the HBRC stop bank that saved Taradale/ Napier from extensive flooding when Gabrielle struck. I am grateful.
Yes we do need to look after the environment but do we need a Regional Council to do it? In the name of “fairness” the change to CV for rating increased my rates by 100% then another 19% and my pension went up 3% for inflation. Subsidised public transport rate went up to $211 but no bus service is provided where I live. The nearest bus stop is in Havelock North 1 1/2 kilometres away, with mobility issues I am lucky if I can walk 100 metres. I live on a hill so no stream, flooding or environmental issues so what do I get or my property get for the other $800 I am charged – zilch! For the $1000 plus I am charged by Regional Council I get nothing. Is that fair or reasonable. I am happy to pay a fair and reasonable rate for what the Council does for the environment but I am being ripped off by what I am being charged for the services actually provided. Time for the Regional Council to be abolished.
There’s a lot HBRC and NCC could stop doing that would keep rates low. Instead they work on things we don’t need over things we do. Support HBRCs vote against NCC on some of FDS, though doesn’t go far enough, a complete rout by a load of consultants who want Napier to be Auckland. Dear God, NO!
the rate rises take the cash that use to be spread around the region and placed it very nicely in the hands of the few. Continued Corporate price hikes and the fiscal spread is again decreased and on and on we go. Wages stay stagnant and the masses fall further and further behind.
This does not happen by chance and will continue to empty the region and Countrys of population.
If there is no house affordability margin (re selling for a high price in Auckland and buying cheaply in the regions) for those wanting to depart the big smoke they will not sell and move to Hawkes Bay.
The discussed population growth to the region is a myth as the increases across the board in rates have deterred investors and people from coming.
In the USA the States with low tax rates attract business and population.
When the Government have all money and the people have none history has shown us this is a recipe for disaster and currently we are following that recipe to a tee. Reverse the rate hikes or this will the death null of the Hawkes Bay as perpetual growth by taxation is myth a bigger myth is perpetual growth period. Strength the Labour Laws as this is leading to disaster too. Of the Approximate 1.2 million people retiring in the next few years 600,000 will rely solely on NZ Super that won’t work either. Common sense tells us the only thing that will save NZ fiscally sadly is oil and gas and perhaps mining. Like the conclusion or loath it. Your choice, to embrace economic oblivion and our young departing NZ or exploit our natural resources…I’m just saying.