Water Services To Be Managed And Delivered By Council Controlled Organisation
The decision follows a proposal put before the community in May and June 2025 to manage and deliver drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services, as part of central government's Local Water Done Well plan to address Aotearoa New Zealand's water infrastructure challenges.
Mayor of the Queenstown Lakes District, Glyn Lewers said the decision reflected analysis that a WSCCO would be the most effective at providing these services under the new legislative and regulatory regime, and enabled Council to begin preparing to create an organisation to deliver future water services.
'Key themes arising from feedback centred around the costs to households, costs to implement and operate a potential WSCCO compared with the in-house model, along with comments around accountability, transparency, and managing a separate entity effectively,' said Mayor Lewers.
'The decision to progress with a WSCCO last week was undeniably a challenging one to make, but considered that this model will provide a range of advantages in accountability, independence, and lower household costs in the long term when compared with the in-house model.'
Now decided on, the future WSCCO will be fully owned by QLDC, but the organisation will be governed by its own independent specialist board and management. QLDC will be the only shareholder and will appoint board members based on the skills and experience needed for proper governance of the new organisation.
Intended legislation by central government will prevent any WSCCO from being privatised which means that the WSCCO will remain wholly owned by QLDC.
Council will set the organisation's strategic priorities and establish measures to ensure it performs to expectations, while the Commerce Commission will use various regulatory tools to ensure water charges are fair, cost-reflective, and transparent.
The other shortlisted option evaluated was for QLDC to continue to deliver water services in-house, recognising that changes would need to be made to enable Council to respond to the new regulatory environment if such a model was progressed with.An in-house model would have been similarly subject to the Commerce Commission regulatory requirements.
Letters and emails were sent to all ratepayers in the Queenstown Lakes District, along with supporting communications material shared in local papers and on a range of online platforms, all detailing the opportunity to share feedback on the WSSCO and in-house models.
Over 120 submissions were received during the consultation period, the majority of which were in favour of the option to retain water services in-house.
Mayor Lewers said given drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater services all cost ratepayers a significant amount of money that would increase regardless of which approach to water services was taken, it was imperative Council took a long-term view to ensure those services were reliable, sustainable, and future-proofed.
'I acknowledge that while the majority of submitters opposed a change to how water services are delivered, Council's role is to consider community views alongside legal and technical perspectives, and many of the genuine concerns raised have since been addressed by evolving legislative changes,' said Mr Lewers.
'Any potential WSCCO must consult with the community on matters of significance, and proposed changes in the resource management space will require the integration of urban development and infrastructure planning between Council and WSCCO – both of which address potential disadvantages of proceeding with this model,' added Mr Lewers.
'Ultimately, after careful assessment of the two models, public input, the recent legislative changes, and debate on the matter, we can now provide certainty to residents of the Queenstown Lakes District around how their water services will be delivered in the future.'
QLDC will now begin to establish a WSCCO under new water legislation. Responsibility for the district's water services, along with ownership of QLDC's water assets and associated debt and liabilities, will be transferred to the WSCCO once established.
The WSCCO will be responsible for planning, funding, and delivering water services in accordance with new legislative and regulatory requirements.
A Water Services Delivery Plan (WSDP) will be prepared and submitted to Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) by Wednesday 3 September, describing the current state of QLDC's water assets and services as well as the future arrangements for delivery of water services.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
2 hours ago
- Scoop
Council Confirms Parking Permit For Tauranga City Centre Fringe
Press Release – Tauranga City Council The permit pricing is set at $150 per month, $750 for six months, or $1,500 for a full year. Residents within the city centre fringe paid zone are eligible for an 80% discount on a one-year permit, bringing the total cost to $300. Resident discounts … Tauranga City's Mayor and Councillors have approved the introduction of a new city centre fringe parking permit. The decision made at Tuesday's Council meeting, will give people an option to buy a permit, permit holders can park in the purple city centre fringe paid zone without needing to pay daily at machines or via the parking app. The permit pricing is set at $150 per month, $750 for six months, or $1,500 for a full year. Residents within the city centre fringe paid zone are eligible for an 80% discount on a one-year permit, bringing the total cost to $300. Resident discounts are limited to one per property. While holding a permit does not guarantee a parking space, the reduced cost – when compared to paying daily – will support regular city centre commuters and give residents more flexibility to park on their street at a discount. Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale sees the permit as a solution to some of the concerns he and Councillors have heard in the community and underlines the need to keep exploring other possibilities. 'This is a way to ease the financial pressure of paid parking and gives people who live or work in the area, as well as people that park there all the time, an option for a discount for longer term permits,' says Mahé. 'We will continue looking at innovative ways to make visiting and parking in the city centre easier for our community.' Permits are available for purchase via the PayMyPark app. Residents should first apply for a discount code by providing proof of address at Originally set to begin on Monday, 4 August, the new city centre fringe paid zone will now come into effect on Monday, 18 August, giving residents and regular commuters more time to apply for their permits and adapt to the changes. The new city centre fringe paid zone is part of phase two of the Parking Management Plan (PMP) for the city centre that was approved by Council on 28 April. The PMP aims to improve access to short-stay parking, and balance increased demand across the city centre and city centre fringe with new paid and time- restricted zones, and changes to off-street pricing. All public parking, including parking buildings and off-street carparks are free after 5pm, free every weekend and on public holidays.
NZ Herald
5 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Rate hikes and reforms force councils into tough decisions
The sector faces unprecedented fiscal pressure – and ratepayers are running out of patience. This is not business as usual. Come October, newly elected mayors and councillors will inherit this perfect storm. But unlike their predecessors, they are running out of road – growth in debt is becoming unsustainable and the Government is taking an ever-closer interest in council performance. The next three years will demand brutal choices: which services to cut, which projects to abandon, and how to navigate the most sweeping government reforms in decades. Those who succeed will need more than management skills. They will need the political courage to tell their communities hard truths. The financial reckoning is stark. Department of Internal Affairs benchmarks published last week reveal dramatic disparities between councils in rates per household, debt per capita and capital spending. In many cases, debt is rising faster than revenues. Some councils face massive infrastructure deficits while pursuing new facilities. Others watch transport and water project costs blow out while basic maintenance gets deferred. Across the country, councils with grand ambitions are being mugged by grinding reality. Making matters worse, the 2025-28 council term coincides with multiple central government reforms that will reshape local government's foundations. First comes the Resource Management Act replacement. The new system will shift responsibilities from individual councils to regional entities and national standards. While potentially streamlining planning processes, the transition will demand new skills and complex co-ordination, along with significant upfront costs. Then there is water reform. The coalition's 'Local Water Done Well' leaves councils responsible for delivering viable water services alone or through shared entities. By September, every council must produce a Water Services Delivery Plan that satisfies the new water regulator and the Commerce Commission. Some councils are pursuing joint ventures with neighbours, hoping to achieve economies of scale. Others are establishing at-arm's-length, council-controlled organisations, seeing it as the best way to maintain local control while meeting new standards. Still others plan to soldier on in the status quo, somehow convinced they can manage the regulatory burden in-house. Each path has its challenges. The Local Government (System Improvements) Bill adds another layer of change. It scraps councils' broad 'wellbeings' mandate – the ability to promote spending on loosely-asserted social, economic, environmental and cultural benefits – in favour of the Prime Minister's 'doing the basics brilliantly'. The bill prioritises core services, introduces new financial performance measures, mandatory disclosure of contractor and consultant spending and standardised codes of conduct. Most controversially, it opens the door to rates capping, which the minister says is being developed 'at pace'. Capping rates is appealing to angry ratepayers, but international experience shows it can be a blunt instrument. Councils in capped jurisdictions often defer maintenance, cut core services or find creative workarounds that cost more. Ratepayer referendums on major non-core projects could prove more effective, giving communities direct say over expensive projects while preserving councils' ability to fund essentials. Newly elected mayors face tough choices on services and projects due to unsustainable debt growth. Photo / NZME Democratic decay compounds these challenges. Voter turnout at local elections barely reaches half that of national elections. Despite last-minute surges, some councils couldn't fill all seats. Several mayoralties attracted just one candidate. This reflects decades of centralisation that have hollowed out local government's relevance. Why would talented people seek office when councils control less and matter less? Why would voters care? The erosion shows in public discourse. Councillors face increasing criticism and abuse, much of it personal and vitriolic. Social media amplifies every rates increase, every pothole, every perceived failure. Yet councils desperately need capable people who can absorb regulatory complexity, scrutinise multi-million dollar infrastructure proposals, and communicate financial realities to their communities. Those elected in October face three immediate priorities. Cost growth must be controlled without gutting essential services, a delicate balance requiring financial acumen and political skill. Reforms will test their ability to shape change rather than resist. Most importantly, they must rebuild trust with communities exhausted by rate hikes and service failures. Ratepayers being mugged by reality should be watching closely. They should not accept more empty promises, excuses, delays or double-digit rate increases. Success in the next council term will require a different kind of leadership. The old model, where councils could muddle through and keep hiking rates, is dead. The new environment demands leaders who can make hard choices quickly, communicate them clearly, and stick to them despite the inevitable backlash. This means not making their own costly promises, being prepared to say no to others' dreams and schemes, and telling uncomfortable truths about what councils can and cannot afford. The question is whether enough of them have stepped forward – and, crucially, whether enough voters will notice and reward them.
Scoop
2 days ago
- Scoop
Council Grants & Community Funding Now Open - Let's Make Great Things Happen In Horowhenua
Horowhenua is full of people with great ideas and big hearts – and now's the time to bring those ideas to life. Round 1 of the 2025/2026 Council Grants and Community Funding is now open, and Horowhenua District Council is inviting local groups, clubs and organisations to apply for funding that helps support and strengthen our communities. From one-off community events and youth-led initiatives to creative arts, waste reduction, climate action projects and small facility upgrades, Council offers a range of funding opportunities to support the mahi that matters. Council Chief Executive Monique Davidson says this is an opportunity to support the people behind the good ideas already making a difference in Horowhenua. 'Every year, we see passionate people doing amazing things with the help of this funding. It might be a community garden, a local art project, or a small event that brings neighbours together. If you've got an idea that could make a difference, we'd love to help make it happen.' Grants currently open: Climate Action Fund - closes on 31 August 2025 Community Events and Programmes Fund - closes on 31 August 2025 Creative Communities Fund - closes on 10 September 2025 Operations and Small Assets Fund - closes on 31 August 2025 Horowhenua Rural Halls Fund - closes on 31 August 2025 Waste Minimisation Fund - closes on 31 August 2025 Shannon Community Development Trust - closes on 10 September 2025 Horowhenua Major Events Fund closes once fully allocated Youth Empowerment Fund open until 31 October 2025 Recipients of the Community Grants and Community Funding programme align with Council's priority to enhance health and wellbeing initiatives, as outlined in the Community Wellbeing Strategy 2024-2027. By hosting regular events and supporting local programmes, this funding actively promotes community health and wellbeing, ensuring that Horowhenua remains a place where people feel connected and supported. Drop-in sessions – Come and talk with us To make applying easier, Council is hosting a series of drop-in sessions across the district throughout August. These friendly, no-appointment-needed sessions are a great chance to talk with staff, ask questions, or get advice on your application. Wednesday 6 August 11am to 12.30pm Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, 92 Main Street, Foxton Monday 11 August 9.30am to 11am Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10 Bath Street, Levin Tuesday 12 August 1pm to 2pm Shannon Library, 62 Plimmer Terrace, Shannon Monday 11 August 9.30am to 11am Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10 Bath Street, Levin Tuesday 26 August 3pm to 4pm Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10 Bath Street, Levin Successful projects must begin after 1 November 2025. More information about the available funds, eligibility and how to apply can be found at,
