Rates Increase
With the release of projected property rate increases of 5.5% for Wellington home owners; Council Candidate and Wellington business owner, Allan Probert is outraged.
“Not only has the council shown an inability to listen to its ratepayers, it has also failed to spend ratepayer monies in a prudent manner and failed to conduct a transparent annual planning process that involves and is accessible to ratepayers. A vote for Kerry Prendergast in the coming elections is a vote for more of the same financial irresponsibility.”
Wellington’s rate take is 65% of the Wellington City Councils income, which compares poorly to the figure suggested by the recent rates commission of 55%.
“Clearly Wellington City Council is continuing to spend beyond its means and seems to continue to look at service delivery rather than the actual cost of delivering, and this is precisely where I believe more careful attention needs to be directed”
Allan Cites numerous examples of the gross inefficiencies and dysfunctionality present within Wellington City Council:
· $70 million wage costs are planned this year
· Being grossly over staffed – WCC staff numbers include 31 human resource employees, a figure that is vastly larger than that of other similarly sized organisations.As well as this; 81 financial staff; 5 accountants; 6 communication specialists
· Excessive bureaucracy- For example there’s too many trusts, which means avoidable extra costs and a gross lack of efficiencies when a single trust could run Michael Fowler, St James; Opera House: Central government is reducing the number of business units and Wellington City Council is overdue for similar reforms.
· Staff churn – The council may argue that they have to pay more to retain staff, but the councils own records show a cumulative staff turnover of a staggering 120% over the last 5 years, with the latest being the CFO Neil Cherry who left under “mysterious” circumstances.
· According to Allan, Wellingtonians are well overdue for a change;
“What we’re seeing here is an out of control and dysfunctional council exhorting excessive amounts of income from its ratepayers. I believe that the mayor and councillors have to take responsibility for spending and are clearly not doing their jobs...Voting for Kerry is a vote for more of the same craziness just when Wellington needs change”
Allan continues to say
“If elected, my aim is to firstly take a closer look at council finances and to lead a transparent and democratic council that actually listens to its rate payers and makes responsible long term decisions for the benefit our city. “
With the release of projected property rate increases of 5.5% for Wellington home owners; Council Candidate and Wellington business owner, Allan Probert is outraged.
“Not only has the council shown an inability to listen to its ratepayers, it has also failed to spend ratepayer monies in a prudent manner and failed to conduct a transparent annual planning process that involves and is accessible to ratepayers. A vote for Kerry Prendergast in the coming elections is a vote for more of the same financial irresponsibility.”
Wellington’s rate take is 65% of the Wellington City Councils income, which compares poorly to the figure suggested by the recent rates commission of 55%.
“Clearly Wellington City Council is continuing to spend beyond its means and seems to continue to look at service delivery rather than the actual cost of delivering, and this is precisely where I believe more careful attention needs to be directed”
Allan Cites numerous examples of the gross inefficiencies and dysfunctionality present within Wellington City Council:
· $70 million wage costs are planned this year
· Being grossly over staffed – WCC staff numbers include 31 human resource employees, a figure that is vastly larger than that of other similarly sized organisations.As well as this; 81 financial staff; 5 accountants; 6 communication specialists
· Excessive bureaucracy- For example there’s too many trusts, which means avoidable extra costs and a gross lack of efficiencies when a single trust could run Michael Fowler, St James; Opera House: Central government is reducing the number of business units and Wellington City Council is overdue for similar reforms.
· Staff churn – The council may argue that they have to pay more to retain staff, but the councils own records show a cumulative staff turnover of a staggering 120% over the last 5 years, with the latest being the CFO Neil Cherry who left under “mysterious” circumstances.
· According to Allan, Wellingtonians are well overdue for a change;
“What we’re seeing here is an out of control and dysfunctional council exhorting excessive amounts of income from its ratepayers. I believe that the mayor and councillors have to take responsibility for spending and are clearly not doing their jobs...Voting for Kerry is a vote for more of the same craziness just when Wellington needs change”
Allan continues to say
“If elected, my aim is to firstly take a closer look at council finances and to lead a transparent and democratic council that actually listens to its rate payers and makes responsible long term decisions for the benefit our city. “
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