MEDIA RELEASE - immediate release

25-2-2015

Hastings amalgamation opponents organise

There is now organised opposition in Hastings to the proposed amalgamation of the five councils in Hawke's Bay, Hastings Against Amalgamation spokesman Mike Butler said today.

Around 50 people attended a public meeting at the Havelock North Community Centre last night, where Mr Butler explained why a council reorganisation of such magnitude should go to a region-wide vote.

A couple of weeks ago the assumption was that since the Hastings District Council was promoting amalgamation, Hastings voters supported it and that has been proven untrue, he said.

“Amalgamation supporters have failed to show any tangible benefits and the $10-million savings represents only 3.7 percent of the total expenditure of the five Hawkes Bay councils, which totalled $237.7-million last year,” Mr Butler said.

The proposal is to absorb the councils of Hastings, Napier, Wairoa, and Central Hawke’s Bay, plus the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, into one super council with five local boards, and a Maori board, with the headquarters in Napier.

“Amalgamation in Auckland in 2010 hiked rates by 8 percent in year 1, increased debt by 30 percent in that year, cost jobs, meant fewer councillors, brought powerless local boards, set up a Maori board, started local race-based spending, and involved local tribes in building consents,” Mr Butler said.

“Few are aware that Hastings would lose around 200 jobs should the council headquarters move to Napier, which would take $16-million out of Hastings and further gut the struggling central business district,” he said.

Likewise, few are aware that the Hastings District Council is deeply divided over the issue yet approved spending $50,000 on pro-amalgamation advertising

The Local Government Commission will issue a final amalgamation proposal soon and residents have 60 days to get together around 5100 signatures from the 51,000 voters who live in the Hastings district to demand a vote.

A second speaker at last night’s meeting was Jessica Maxwell, who led a successful campaign for the humane treatment of animals at the Hastings pound, bringing an end to the needless killing of thousands of harmless dogs.

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