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Wellington region city councils have crushed Upper Hutt City Council’s request for a Wellington Water review.
Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy last week requested a review of the water utility due to concerns about transparency and service delivery.
However, when the proposal was presented at a company committee meeting on Tuesday, Porirua Mayor Anita Baker asked if Upper Hutt intended to withdraw from Wellington Water, citing Guppy’s negative attitude toward the supplier of services.
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Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy has called for a review of Wellington Water due to concerns about the company’s transparency and service delivery.
Wellington Water Limited administers potable water, wastewater and stormwater services on behalf of the Hutt, Porirua, Upper Hutt and Wellington City Councils, the South Wairarapa District Council and the Greater Wellington Regional Council, which are equal shareholders.
In the letter, Guppy highlighted Audit New Zealand’s criticism of Wellington Water’s non-financial performance measures.
Weaknesses in the system could result in auditors raising formal concerns and affect the reliability of financial statements in the annual reports of shareholders’ councils, he said.
Upper Hutt City Council was concerned that Wellington Water had not been candid about the audit.
Following universal disapproval of his review, Guppy said other boards had accepted mediocrity for far too long.
“I will continue to challenge, because we are not getting what we should be.”
Ross Giblin / Stuff
For the mayor of Porirua, Anita Baker, the revision would be a waste of time and money in the face of the imminent reforms of the central government to the delivery of three waters.
Early in the meeting, Guppy continued to point to “flowery wording” and the lack of specific details in company reports.
Baker said she was surprised by the proposal and seemed upset by Guppy’s request.
He said it was an exaggerated response to the problem and a waste of time and money in the face of imminent central government reforms to the delivery of three waters.
Baker and South Wairarapa Mayor Alex Beijen said the request was premature as the audit was not yet complete.
She said Things she thought her negative comments were an attempt to “deflect the amount [Upper Hutt] has to pay ”the company.
Wellington Water had been upfront about costs, with each council deciding how much they wanted to contribute, he said.
Monique Ford / Stuff
Wellington City Councilman Sean Rush thought Guppy should have advised the committee before asking for a review.
Greater Wellington regional councilor and committee representative Jenny Brash pounded on the desk in frustration, saying she was ill and tasted Guppy’s continued negativity.
Wellington city councilor and gabled portfolio holder Sean Rush was disappointed that Guppy had not tipped off the committee before asking for a review.
He also thought that central government reforms and a soon-to-be published Wellington Mayor’s Task Force report would identify and address many of the issues, making the review a waste of time.
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Wellington’s aging water infrastructure has come under scrutiny after recent failures.
The water infrastructure in the region has been collapsing under major faulted streets in the city of Wellington. Other authorities have been handed large bills to improve their pipelines.
The review did not progress.
