Hide's hands off approach to council spending
By BLAIR ENSOR - The Marlborough Express
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He is good at spending taxpayers' money, but controversial MP Rodney Hide has offered little immediate salvation for Marlborough communities faced with big rate hikes.
Last week, it was revealed that the Local Government Minister took his partner, Louise Crome, on a $25,163, taxpayer-funded overseas trip.
She was not at his side yesterday, but Mr Hide would not rule out further taxpayer-funded excursions with Ms Crome, although he had no overseas ministerial trips planned in the near future.
"She's feeling a bit sore about even being seen with me," he said yesterday.
Mr Hide was in Blenheim to speak to the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce at Marlborough Vintners Hotel.
He spoke about the proposed changes to the Local Government Act 2002, which would improve councils' transparency, accountability and financial management.
Under the proposed changes, central government costs would be removed from local government and councils would also be allowed to enter a "public-private partnership" which would lesson the burden on local ratepayers, he said.
The changes would be part of the Local Government Amendment Bill, which Mr Hide planned to introduced to the House later this year or early in 2010.
With high rates rises common among many councils, Mr Hide said he was keen to see spending focused on core infrastructure rather than social services. He said rates were set to rise another 50 per cent on average during the next 10 years, and debt would double, which was unsustainable.
Marlborough District Council projects such as the $14 million aquatic centre and the proposed new $17m Marlborough Civic Theatre were not core services, he said.
"It's not for me, as Minister of Local Government, to tell a particular council, particular community how they should be spending their own money, but people can't afford the rate rises that we are seeing," he said, although "ultimately, it's up to the people of the area".
Earlier this year, the Marlborough District Council decided not to increase its subsidy of Grovetown and Spring Creek's $4.9m updated sewerage scheme from 50 per cent to 80 per cent.
Grovetown ratepayers are being asked to pay for the rest of the construction through a targeted rate determined on land value, an average of about $15,900 each or about $1100 a year over a 30-year loan period, including interest.
Mr Hide remained tight lipped about how the proposed changes would affect council funding of the scheme, but said it would allow Marlburians to decide where their money was spent, by providing better transparency around spending.
"The community can look at that (spending) and give it a tick or not," he said.
Mr Hide said he had also spoken to Mayor Alistair Sowman about the improvements to the Seddon water supply, after the Ministry of Health put the council's multimillion-dollar drinking water subsidy scheme on hold.
"They (Seddon residents) feel rightly aggrieved," he said
"I've given him an undertaking that I'll be getting back to him directly once I've spoken to officials."
Central and local governments were tightening their belts, he said, but "ultimately people in Marlborough can, through the democratic process, have their wishes revealed."
