GWRC Flood Hearings Patsy Process

Speaking on behalf of concerned Greytown Ratepayers John Hayes said that hearings for the proposed Waiohine River Floodplain Management Plan, beginning next Monday, was a “Patsy” process using conflicted hearing panel members who should resign.

For eight years GWRC employees have refused to listen to the advice of local river experts like longstanding resident Bruce Slater.

Since June, when a public meeting passed a no confidence motion in the GWRC and its proposed scheme, destined to cost Greytown Ratepayers $10 million, GRWC Chair Chris Laidlaw has refused to listen to the concerns of Greytown people.

Hayes said that the members of the hearing panel, Viv Napier, Mike Ashby, Barbara Donaldson and Shane Atkinson should resign. Most of the panel members had been selected because GRWC staff saw them as compliant. The public meeting had earlier expressed no confidence in the hearing panel members.

Despite significant shoddy work by GWRC officials, the expenditure of more than a million dollars without anything to show and no Peer Review, Hayes thought the Ombudsman and Audit Office were unlikely to want to review what had gone on. They will see responsibility resting with GWRC elected Councillors. A group without Wairarapa representation.

Given the GWRC council refusal to listen to Greytown Ratepayer concerns Hayes said consideration now needed to be given to setting up a “givealittle” page to meet the cost of a Judicial Review.

ENDS

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