(Photo/Warren Buckland, HB Today)
Wise Water Use lead advocate and past-Regional Councilor, Paul Bailey, presents petition to Regional Council, Wednesday 30th August 2023
Paul Bailey, Wise Water Use advocate and past-Regional Councillor, presented a petition to HB Regional Council’s monthly meeting on Wednesday 30th August. View Petition Here.
The petition, which gathered 363* signatures, urged Regional Council to levy the full amount of $382,956 owed by private company Water Holdings Hawkes Bay, otherwise they must surrender the water consents they hold for the defunct Ruataniwha Dam (WHHB is required to pay annual science charges on the consents but has not done so for 3 years).
*The total number of signatures at 30th August 2023
View the Power Point and debate that followed here: HBRC Meeting, Paul Bailey Presentation
Prior to the meeting, Bailey emailed Councillors arguing that failing full payment within the statutory 120 day period, Council should file for insolvency against WHHB:
"As someone who worked in the debt collection industry for 10 years I have yet to see a more clear-cut case for taking expedient action against a debtor. The three directors of WHHB have no excuses for non-payment” (Paul Bailey)
Hawkes Bay Today investigative reporter, James Pocock, reported on the meeting here.
The directors of WHHB are:
Timothy Edward GILBERTSON (Otane)
David Hugh RITCHIE (Otane)
Bruce Mountfort Bond-Kennedy WORSNOP (Tikokino)
(Source, NZ Companies Register)
Council would normally then pass a motion to accept the petition and move on to the next agenda item. However, Councillor Neil Kirton – a fierce opponent of WHHB’s attempts to get off the hook for their debt – raised an amendment to the motion that would acknowledge Council had earlier passed a motion that the debt should be paid in full by June 30th 2023.
While the amendment was not passed, it generated a robust 20 minute debate where it was revealed that incoming CEO, Dr Nic Peet, had told Councillors that the decision as to whether WHHB should pay all their debt was one for Council staff to make.
Interesting power-play underway here where the issue of recovering the unpaid debt has been shelved while staff and Councillors infight over who should decide whether to wipe that debt!
Wise Water Use vehemently oppose staff making this decision on several grounds, but mainly because Council has already passed a motion that the debt must be paid in full, and the only role for staff now is to implement recovery procedures and, if unsuccessful, to file for insolvency and accept surrender of the Ruataniwha consents.
Wednesday’s meeting agenda only allowed for the petition to be received by Councillors – a decision about collection of the debt was not an the agenda. Water Use had been informed that the debt would be an agenda item for the meeting of Wednesday 26th July, and then last Wednesday 30th August; however, this did not happen at either meeting. Councillors look like possums caught in the headlights, possibly hoping that if they delay a decision long enough the issue might fade away.
It won’t.
Wise Water Use now urge their supporters to email, phone, harangue in the street, their local Councillor and ask that they support the call for the three Water Holdings Hawkes Bay directors to pay their $382,956 debt immediately and in full. All other ratepayers have to pay their rates – the three directors of WHHB should not get special treatment.
You will find the emails and phone numbers of the 11 Regional Councillors here (click on the photo of your local Councillor to get contact details)
If you don’t know who your local Councillor is then pick one who looks approachable!
You might consider cc'ing Wise Water Use <contact@wisewateruse.org.nz> into your email so we have an idea of how many have contacted Councillors.
Below is a simple email template you can use (feel free to word something a little stronger yourself!)
Dear Councillor ______________
I am frustrated that council has not taken action to collect Water Holdings Hawkes Bay’s $382,956 debt in full. WHHB has not paid their science charges for over 3 years. I pay my rates regularly and the three directors of WHHB should not be receiving special treatment. Please do the right thing by all Hawkes Bay ratepayers and take immediate action to collect the $382,956 debt. If WHHB cannot pay their debt then Council must take steps to place the company into liquidation and the Ruataniwha water consents must be surrendered.
Yours faithfully
______________________
You can download this template in Word by clicking the link below:
This report posted by: Dr Trevor Le Lievre (Spokesperson, Wise Water Use)