Media release
VAN -- Valley Action Network
9 October, 2007

Make Hutt swimming pools free, says Valley Action Network

Improving the health and happiness of Hutt residents with free entry to
the city's swimming pools is one of the innovative new ideas in VAN's
policy on Free Council Services, released today.

The policy, reprinted below, calls for more Council services to be free
for the user. Funding would come from rates based on property values
and a fairer contribution from big businesses.

"We're also drawing a line in the sand over water meters", says VAN
organiser Grant Brookes.

"The politicians know that water meters are unpopular. Last month, as
voting got under way in the local body elections, they all denied plans
to introduce them.

"Yet just two months earlier, Councillors were discussing the idea
round the table with the chair of the Wellington Regional Council's
Utilities Committee.

"All the Mayoral and Council hopefuls, apart from VAN, say their
priority is to help business. With the past chief executive of Business
NZ, Simon Carlaw, now calling for water meters everywhere, what will
these people do if they're elected?

"The Labour-led Hutt 2020 group talk up their connections to central
government. The government's Rates Inquiry, which reported six weeks
ago, also recommended water meters for all.

"Voters have until 12 noon on Saturday to cast their ballot for VAN
candidates who put residents first and oppose 'user pays' across the
board."

The policy on Free Council Services is the sixth, and final, plank of
the Valley Action Network's platform:

* A Human City -- Putting people before big business interests
* A Green City -- Action on climate change. Zero tolerance for polluters
* Grassroots Democracy -- Community Boards for all, with extra powers
* Rates Justice -- Reductions based on need. Residents before greedy
corporations
* Free Council Services -- Not just protected but extended
* Free and Frequent Public Transport -- It makes climate sense and
serves the people.

More information on these policies can be found on the VAN website,
www.huttvan.org.nz.

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Free Council Services -- Not just protected but extended

"User pays" was the mantra of the 1980s and 90s. Over and over again,
the politicians told us that it's fair to pay for all sorts of public
services, from education and health to the water coming out of your
tap.
But it isn't fair. Charging everyone the same takes no account of
people's ability to pay.
Ordinary people on lower incomes have to spend a bigger chunk of their
earnings on these necessary services.
User pays disadvantages families, too, because dependent family members
need to use the services like everyone else, but can't pay for them.
It's really a way to cut public spending, so the rich can have tax cuts
and rates reductions.
Today, Hutt residents are threatened with "user pays" water meters. The
push is coming from government and big business groups.
Water meters are unpopular so they're dressed up as a “green” idea, to
make people conserve a natural resource.
But meters are a step towards privatisation. Privatising water makes
conservation worse, not better, as greedy water companies cut corners
on maintenance meaning more cracked pipes and more water lost before
reaching the home.
Despite the wave of user pays and privatisation over the last 20 years,
some Hutt City Council services are still free.
It doesn't cost anything to borrow books from the library, or to visit
TheNewDowse or Petone Settlers Museum. These popular services run
perfectly well without any user charge.
Why not make other popular services free, too, like swimming pools?
Manukau City Council, for instance, recognises the benefits of swimming
pools to the whole community. Their pools are fully funded out of
rates. Entry is free.
Hutt City pools are currently 70 percent funded from rates. Getting rid
of door charges altogether wouldn't cost much and would increase the
number of people using them.
This makes sense, as there's a lot of ratepayers' money invested in the
pools and they're almost empty for much of the day.
Making more Council services free to use -- funded by rates -- goes
hand in hand with fighting for Rates Justice so big corporations start
paying their share of the cost.
And while we're at it, it also makes sense to start taking the many
Hutt City Council services that have been contracted out to private
companies back "in house".
That way, every ratepayer dollar will go to providing the service, not
lining the pockets of private shareholders here and overseas.

VAN stands for common sense solutions. We want Council services that
are free to use, funded out of rates and provided directly by Council.
If we're elected, we will:

* Campaign inside Council Chambers and in the streets to stop the water
meters wanted by government and business groups.

* Move to make other popular Council services, like swimming pools,
free to use.

* Fight for Rates Justice, so greedy corporations pay a fairer share of
the costs of running Council services.

* Push to take Council services that have been "contracted out" (so
they're provided by some private company) back "in house" (so they're
provided by Council employees) to improve working conditions and save
ratepayers' money.

ENDS

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