Glen Cooper says he want Council to focus on supporting core business. Mr Cooper says Kāpiti has a serious issue with rates affordability and massive council debt.
Mr Cooper, a candidate for council in the Paraparaumu Ward, says prior to the last three years we have what was called the “Green Line Test” which simply was a cap set by the council on how much they could borrow.
“This assisted with keeping rates affordability in check. Some time in the last three years the Green Line test was thrown in the rubbish and a strategy of borrow borrow borrow with no debt cap was voted in. The consequence of that was a projected council rate increase of over 30% in the next five years, this is unacceptable.
“My view is that the borrow more debt is a dangerous strategy with the council wanting to borrow to invest in what is known as CCO’s to try and get a return. The Council have shown they are inept at investing in business or anything commercial, anyone remember CleanTech in Ōtaki and the Gateway $1.2M down the drain so far and still no business case after two years of trying.”
Mr Cooper says the fact is we are one of the most indebted councils in the country and we simply have to live within our means. And if that means some of the extra spend is reigned in then that is what we have to do.
“So my focus will be on supporting core business, potholes, parks, pools and libraries that type of spend.
“I will put the following test over every decision I make, “firstly does it stand up fiscally, that is to say is it a prudent financial decision and what impact on debt and rates rise will it make. If it stands up financially, I could support it.
“Secondly if it does not stand up financially does it have community support. If it does have community support, then I could support it.
“The example is the Waikanae Green Waste, financially it made sense to close it, but from a community and environmental view it made no sense to close it. From the community feedback and based on my two tier test I would not have supported its closure, it made no sense whatsoever to close that green waste centre,” says Mr Cooper.
