Southland District Council

Waiau Aparima Ward
The Southland District Council provides local services and facilities, such as public transport, rubbish and recycling, libraries, parks, and recreation facilities. It also makes decisions about building and planning, local regulations, and infrastructure, such as water supply and sewerage. The council is made up of 12 councillors and the mayor. Councillors are elected to represent wards (areas in the district). Three councillors will be elected from the Waiau Aparima ward. This is a first past the post (FPP) election, so you vote by ticking the name of your preferred candidate on your ballot paper. Compare the candidates and their policies to decide who to vote for in the Southland District Council election.

Utilities and services

Councils are responsible for a wide range of utilities and services that we all rely on, from rubbish and recycling to street cleaning. Councils are currently also responsible for managing waste water, storm water and drinking water infrastructure – the ‘Three Waters’. But that may be about to change, with central government seeking to shift the delivery of Three Waters services to four new larger entities, which could borrow enough to upgrade the country’s water infrastructure.

Utilities and services

Councils are responsible for a wide range of utilities and services that we all rely on, from rubbish and recycling to street cleaning. Councils are currently also responsible for managing waste water, storm water and drinking water infrastructure – the ‘Three Waters’. But that may be about to change, with central government seeking to shift the delivery of Three Waters services to four new larger entities, which could borrow enough to upgrade the country’s water infrastructure.

  • Introduce and develop waste minimisation, recycling, and compost programmes in kura and schools.

    Introduce compost or green waste collection.

  • Push for a local referendum on Three Waters reforms and get details of the underlying assumptions – the efficiencies and cost savings cited.

    Call for the cancellation of Southland District Council's membership to LGNZ, due to its signing a memorandum of understanding with the Crown supporting Three Waters. Simply untenable.

    Explore home-composting subsidy, like Nelson Council to help reduce waste. Cloth nappy programs like Auckland Council are worth trying.

  • Investigate the Three Waters and ask questions residents want to hear. Ownership, cost, future cost, fees etc.

    Introduce a green waste option, where the end product can be a saleable item to help offset initial recycling costs.

    Hear from dog owners about why they want one fee, instead of a yearly fee, for their animals.

  • Vote to keep all governance of local infrastructure and utilities within the local government body.

    Encourage the council to provide drinking water to the gate of all properties, including vacant lots.

    Seek to persuade the council to provide wastewater services to the gate of all properties, including vacant lots.

  • Investigate current recycling costs, processes and effectiveness. Indications are that this is hugely inefficient and expensive.

    Work to quash Three Waters on all fronts. Requires community input/understanding of issues and possibilities.

    Encourage community consideration of tremendous volumes of wastewater, all of which must be pumped and treated. Needs discussion.

  • Introduce and develop waste minimisation, recycling, and compost programmes in kura and schools.

    Introduce compost or green waste collection.

  • Push for a local referendum on Three Waters reforms and get details of the underlying assumptions – the efficiencies and cost savings cited.

    Call for the cancellation of Southland District Council's membership to LGNZ, due to its signing a memorandum of understanding with the Crown supporting Three Waters. Simply untenable.

    Explore home-composting subsidy, like Nelson Council to help reduce waste. Cloth nappy programs like Auckland Council are worth trying.

  • Investigate the Three Waters and ask questions residents want to hear. Ownership, cost, future cost, fees etc.

    Introduce a green waste option, where the end product can be a saleable item to help offset initial recycling costs.

    Hear from dog owners about why they want one fee, instead of a yearly fee, for their animals.

  • Vote to keep all governance of local infrastructure and utilities within the local government body.

    Encourage the council to provide drinking water to the gate of all properties, including vacant lots.

    Seek to persuade the council to provide wastewater services to the gate of all properties, including vacant lots.

  • Investigate current recycling costs, processes and effectiveness. Indications are that this is hugely inefficient and expensive.

    Work to quash Three Waters on all fronts. Requires community input/understanding of issues and possibilities.

    Encourage community consideration of tremendous volumes of wastewater, all of which must be pumped and treated. Needs discussion.