Better Waipā candidates recognise reasons why trust in Waipā District Council (WDC) continues to decline. But absurdly, inefficient bureaucracy and numbers/salaries of public-service workers are increasing. Along with Better Waipā volunteers, the TaxPayers’ Union (TU) - a group which aims to ‘lower taxes, reduce waste, and improve accountability across all levels of Government’ - has also been investigating Councils’ wasteful expenditures.
Confusingly, although WDCs colourful public relations repeats the mantra of ‘improving engagement with communities’, there is little evidence of this. For instance, public comments on WDCs Facebook page are unfairly disabled, censoring their own residents’ views and uncomfortable questions.
An Official Information Act (OIA) by the TU revealed that WDCs ‘Communications and Engagement Team’ cost us almost $800,000 in salaries during a snapshot of 10 months (Jul ‘24-April ’25). Contractors’ fees were not included. Alongside these salaried positions and contractors’ costs, consultancies’ fees continue to increase, too. Te Awamutu News (15 May) reported OIA responses, for instance to Chamber of Commerce CEO, Kelly Bouzaid, showing WDC paid consultants an astonishing $14 million during 2024-25 financial year alone. Furthermore, rather than carrying out work in-house, at least one of those consultancies, Xyst Ltd, recruited a staff member from WDC.
Waipā residents’ rates are increasing by a shocking 14.8 percent, with further rates increases planned. Our cost of living continues to go up, debts are increasing and jobs are more unstable: the economic situation is grave. The contrast between WDCs vanity projects like changing place names, roadside replanting and property ‘investments’ is puzzling for everyday Kiwis struggling to get by. Is it any surprise that survey feedback to WDC confirms only 21 percent of residents think our Council acts in our best interest?
Listening to our community’s needs should be a top priority for Council. If public trust is going to be regained, WDC needs to stop wasting our taxpaid dollars on fake communications, bureaucracy and meaningless consultants’ reports. What’s needed now is authentic, respectful engagement and provision of essential utility services like rubbish collection and fixing roads. (screenshot: Annual Survey report)
