This is the latest in a series of
interviews with candidates standing in the local body elections. Thank you to
everyone who sent in questions for WDC Mayor Vince Cocurullo.
Q
& A with Mayor Vince Cocurullo
Letterbox
question (Q): What do you consider to be your greatest achievement in your
three years as Mayor?
Mayor Cocurullo's answer (A): Bringing all of Northland’s councils together as a unified region. That has given us strength when lobbying central government on critical infrastructure. The fast-tracking of the four-lane highway to Auckland and the Whangarei hospital are good examples of the gains we have made.
Q:
What do you believe are the greatest priorities for our district over the next
three years?
A:
Creating employment opportunities in the local economy. Building critical
infrastructure will be essential to achieving that.
Q:
Is Whangarei still under a Climate Emergency? If so, why?
A:
Yes. We have not overturned the climate emergency status because there is not
enough support from councillors to do so. I don’t believe we are in an
emergency, but we are putting in place essential infrastructure to better
manage weather events.
Q:
The Council says it is considering a reduction of the Uniform Annual General
Charge (UAGC) from $909 to $500 per ratepayer. That will see a dramatic
increase in rates for lifestyle blocks and farmers. Do you support the change?
A:
That is a matter being considered at the moment and I am keen to hear the views
of the public. My view will be clear after I have read and heard the
submissions and when councillors vote on this issue.
Q:
What do you say to ratepayers who are struggling to pay the rate increases your
council has imposed: 17.2% last year and a further 10.5% increase this year?
A:
Unfortunately, we have been hit with increased costs for roading and unbudgeted
costs for cyclone damage. We also need to get on top of the council's growing
debt, so I have put a debt repayment plan in place. Those have been my priorities.
Q: Has the WDC carried out a comprehensive
review to ensure it has eliminated wasteful spending? If so, who carried out
that review?
A:
Yes. Every dollar is accountable, and we review expenses annually. The chairman
of the Finance Committee leads that review.
Q:
Do you think the WDC should remain a member of Local Government New Zealand?
A:
The Council is split on this and has voted for staying in.
Q:
The Hundertwasser has not attracted the number of visitors promised when it was
promoted to the public, and it is losing around $1 million a year. What plans
does the council have to reverse the losses?
A:
The facility is managed by a trust. We have given the trustees until February
2026 to come up with a comprehensive plan.
Q:
How will you be voting in the upcoming referendum on Māori wards. For or
against?
A:
I am not prepared to say, as I do not wish to influence the outcome. My
position has always been that this is a matter for the public to decide, and I
am pleased they will have the final say on this matter in October.
Q:
Did you support changing the voting system from First Past the Post to Single
Transferable Vote?
A:
No. This is a matter that should have been put to electors, but a majority of
councillors thought otherwise.
Q: During your term as
Mayor, external debt has increased 38% from $192m to $265m, and annual debt
servicing costs have increased from $5.7m to $10.4m. What is the cause of this increase in debt?
A: The debt
increase can be attributed to both planned and unplanned capital spending
(CAPX). Some of the unplanned CAPX projects include cyclone repairs and property
purchases. Planned budgeted CAPX projects include old Town Hall repairs, finishing
the new civic building and replacement of essential infrastructure. We
are now in a better position to manage capital spending into the future and
carry less forward into future years.
Q: During your term in
office, the revenue collected from general rates has increased 50% from $111.2m
in 2022 to $167.4m in 2025. Do you think ratepayers support this level of
increase? Do you think voters are less likely to support you in the forthcoming
elections as a result of these rate increases?
A: When this
Council was elected in 2022, we were left with some major projects that had not
been completed, and cyclone Gabrielle showed there were defects to our
infrastructure. We needed additional revenue to balance our budget and
maintain the same level of service. We also had extra costs pushed onto us
by central government, and we want to be in a stronger financial position to
reduce debt. Our rates and debt levels are still in the lowest quartile of
NZ.
We thank Mayor Cocurullo for his
answers. Let us know your thoughts at info@democracynorthland.co.nz.