It is not often LETTERBOX agrees with WDC Cr Ken Couper, but we do agree with what he said in his election blurb in the Bream Bay News recently:
“The message from our community is
clear: rate increases must be affordable, fair and justifiable.”
This certainly is the message the community is giving and has been giving for some time. The difficulty we have is reconciling Ken’s words with his voting record. In 2024 Ken voted for a 10.9% rate increase and another 17.2% increase in 2025. This is despite 87% of the public who submitted to the 2025 Annual Plan opposing the increase. Most suggested 6% was affordable, fair, and justifiable.
Ken goes on to say: “I will
continue to fight wasteful spending and focus on core services that deliver
real value for ratepayers.”
Again, the voting record shows otherwise.
In 2023 Ken voted in favour of funding the Oruku Landing project to the tune of
$10.4 million, a project that 80% of the public opposed. He also supported spending $10 million on “urban
design”, and $7.43 million of unbudgeted money on the old Town Hall.
Are these the things Ken is referring
to when he now says the council should focus on “core services that deliver
real value”?
And he saw no problem changing the way
he is elected to the council from First Past the Post to Single Transferable
Vote, without even asking the public. Clearly,
Ken does not think electors should have a say when he changes the way their representatives
are elected. The question must be asked: Who is Ken representing: Ken or the
people of Bream Bay?
LETTERBOX will continue to call out councillors
when their election promises don’t reflect their voting record.