This was evident when on the one hand the government was pushing its Local Government (System Improvements) Amendment Bill, aimed at removing the four "wellbeing provisions" from local government’s remit, while on the other hand promising a $70 million boost to events and tourism across the country.
"What frustrates me the most is probably the lack of clarity, or that central government just doesn’t actually know what local government does, and they keep sending out these mixed messages," Mr Lewers said.
He did not deny rates were on an unsustainable rise in the region but suggested there were other ways to ease the burden on ratepayers than narrowing a council’s focus.
Central government’s decision to deny the region transport funding was one example which resulted in the cost of roading infrastructure being passed on to the ratepayers.
Visitor levies and bed taxes were another suggestion which was first pitched by the council in 2017 but Mr Lewers said central government had not helped in implementing any real change.
"They keep asking us to do this, this and this to justify visitor levies," he said.
"They’ve got all the information. They just don’t want to actually participate as reliable partners."
Council chief executive Mike Theelan and Mr Lewers late last month drafted a submission to the Bill, which would remove social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing provisions from councils’ remits and bring their focus back to core services such as roading, water and rubbish in order to check rapid rates increases across New Zealand.
The submission said the removal of the four wellbeing provisions would not only limit the councils’ role in identifying local challenges but would do little to reduce rates.
It noted the council had allocated 89% of its 2024 capital spending towards water and roading-related activities, with much of the remainder going towards community facilities.
This point was used to argue the council was already focusing on critical infrastructure, and the Bill would not create any real change.
The Bill is at present going through a select committee. A report is due from the committee on November 18 to determine next steps.
