Rates control for city

The mastermind behind the Rates Control Team which swept to power at Environment Waikato in the last local body elections is planning an even bigger coup on Hamilton City Council next year.

Two-term city councillor Roger Hennebry has confirmed he is in talks with businessmen and women in a move which aims to take total control of the council's 12 seats, if the ticket is successful.

Mr Hennebry, who instigated the original Rates Control Team at EW which included his wife Jane, said he was "disillusioned" with the current city council and its level of debt.

He had already approached candidates for 12 spots on the city council and said there were more than enough takers interested in the job.

"In council it's all about numbers.

"The only way I've got to have any say on that council is to have numbers in support."

The group had already met to discuss a plan of attack ahead of the October 2010 local government elections, including an advertising and marketing budget which Mr Hennebry would likely contribute to.

The next step would be announcing the candidates but that would not happen until after Christmas.

Mr Hennebry, who made a failed mayoral attempt at the last elections in 2007, said the aim of the team was the same as with EW – to curb rate increases which for Hamilton are estimated to be 4.6 per cent next year and 5.5 per cent in 2011.

When he joined the council more than five years ago Mr Hennebry said he was concerned then about the council's debt – more than $90 million – but that had ballooned to $263 million this year.

"People don't realise that it will be $735 million in nine years' time. It's just getting out of hand."

On top of that projects that were "carried over" had grown to $89 million in the last financial year, though these would be spread over eight years.

He blamed the situation on massive projects such as the $68 million Claudelands Events Centre – which Mr Hennebry voted against – and said the council needed to concentrate on core business.

Mr Hennebry wanted candidates with a similar philosophy to him; a must being financial accountability because "at the end of the day council is like a business".

A businessman himself, Mr Hennebry wanted councillors with a "certain skill set" because they were in control of an organisation which had a $179.5 million annual operating budget.

Hamilton Mayor Bob Simcock said he had been aware for some time of the moves and said it followed on from the local body elections two years ago when a Rates Control ticket stood several candidates with limited success.

Mr Simcock wasn't convinced "tickets" such as a Rates Control Team were a good way for a council to operate.

"I don't particularly like to see factions coming on to council because then you get winning and losing groups. I think the city is better served by a group of committed people."

He said Mr Hennebry's disillusionment had never been expressed internally and the council's debt level and forecast rates rises were all publicly available and nothing new.

"I think this is the start of a campaign."

Meanwhile, Mr Simcock confirmed he would stand for mayor again next year.