Tensions were palpable at last Tuesday’s Tamahere Community Committee (TCC) meeting, where Waikato District Council (WDC) Mayor Jackie Church, COO Tony Whittaker, and ward Councillors Crystal Beavis and Mike Keir faced mounting frustrations from local ratepayers. Chaired by Charles Fletcher, a longtime Tamahere resident and retired lawyer, the TCC expressed serious concerns over WDC’s handling of several community-led initiatives.
At the heart of the discussion was the council’s failure to honour funding commitments and inability to make decisions in a timely manner. One major point of contention involved the planned CCTV cameras for the Tamahere Village and Piazza, a project that the TCC has championed for four years, only to have its progress frustrated by WDC staff. Fletcher called this delay “unacceptable” including the lack of expertise and knowledge demonstrated by Council.
Further frustration emerged over the council’s attempt to retract funding previously approved for the Community Committee to run the Tamahereforum.org website and email service for Tamahere ratepayers, a vital communication hub serving over 6,000 residents. Despite official minutes and Council communications confirming the financial support, COO Whittaker’s attempt to question the approval of funds highlighted what Fletcher described as “a clear example of council dysfunction.”
Discussions also addressed the inflated costs of council-managed projects compared to community-driven efforts. For instance, while community members installed artificial grass from local donations and lighting at a fraction of the council’s estimated costs, the TCC argued that WDC’s approach to project expenses remains wasteful as it insists on only working through “approved providers”, often at four times the cost. Fletcher stated, “Council never backs down from making mistakes, and until they do, they will continue to have financial shortfalls”. These concerns were supported by elected Councillor Mike Keir at the meeting.
The meeting also revisited the controversy surrounding the naming of the Tamahere Reserve. While the WDC staff push to rename it Maniapoto Reserve this has no local resonance or support. The TCC compromise of “Tamahere Maniapoto Reserve” has not yet been accepted by Council. Fletcher urged for better communication and respect from the WDC, saying, “The community deserves honesty and accountability.”
WDC has recently introduced a new “Trust and Confidence Strategy” to overcome ratepayer frustrations around lack of response to queries not being answered, a lack of follow-up, very low satisfaction with ease of access to Council and clarity of information (37% performance rating) and a low level of overall trust in Council, also only 37% approval. Fletcher urges Council and its staff to quickly make improvements a reality.
