Napier makes first splash in nationwide debate about using Government funds to fix water

Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise (left) with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst at last month's fund announcement in Havelock North. Photo / File

Napier City Council will be the first to consider whether it accepts Government aid to fix its ailing water infrastructure.

It has scheduled a meeting just two days after the Government's Tuesday confirmation of regional distribution of a $761 million package announced last month.

An extraordinary meeting of the council's Sustainable Napier Committee is scheduled for Thursday to consider the council signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government.

Hawke's Bay is allocated $50 million, which with Auckland being considered separately is headed only by the $66.6 million for Waikato, $59.8 million for Wellington and $100 million for Canterbury, as new approaches are taken towards the three waters - drinking, waste and storm.

Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise confirmed the item in the agenda this week, saying: "I suspect we will be one of the first councils to consider this formally."

"The four Hawke's Bay councils (Wairoa, Napier, Hastings and Central Hawke's Bay) have been discussing what a regional three waters service delivery model might look like for some time now," she said.

"So we are already meeting many of the requirements outlined in the MoU to receive the reform funding."

She said it's "important to note" that accepting the funding does not commit the council to moving to a regional delivery model, and added: "We look forward to going out to our community in the future to share information on the options and seek feedback."

The regional distribution was announced by Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta, who said: "Councils are keen to get on with investing in critical water infrastructure and services and stimulate the local economy.

"Ministers have come up with a model that we believe will best serve the dual purpose of the fund."

Infrastructure investment is a key component in the Government's five point economic Covid-19 recovery plan.

Mahuta said she recognised the impact of the 2016 Havelock North campylobacter crisis, with a determination to make sure there was no repeat.

She said Government acknowledged the Hawke's Bay leadership in taking a regional approach.

Councils must sign up to a Memorandum of Understanding by the end of August to access their allocation, but each regional group of councils has until September 30 to agree on how best to apportion the regional funds to individual territorial authorities.