Western Bay of Plenty District Council's two proposals to amalgamate its water schemes in the district to charge one fee – and merge its wastewaster services to issue a uniform rate – are being met with mixed verdicts.

Katikati Community Board chairman Sam Dunlop believes the proposals are just another case of his town subsidising the district's rates.

As part of it's 2014/2015 draft annual plan, the council proposes moving to a uniform annual charge for both its wastewater and water schemes post-amalgamation.

The council says its long-term plan sees one charge for the districts five wastewater schemes and one charge for the three Western Bay water schemes.

Wastewater is currently provided by five individual schemes – Waihi Beach, Katikati, Omokoroa, Te Puke and Maketu.

Council say the reasoning behind the set charges is the service for water and wastewater to each ratepayer is the same, irrespective of where their property lies.

'Bringing together the charges also ensures that any future rating increases due to significant capital spending ‘spikes' would be able to be absorbed across all ratepayers,” says council.

Three options are offered in the draft annual plan for both wastewater and water – maintain the status quo, introduce the UAC amalgamation during the next two years, or amalgamate the schemes in 2014/2015.

Waihi Beach Community Board chairman Allan Sole believes council should look at adopting the UAC in the next year, giving Waihi ratepayers some immediate relief from the crippling rates continuing to increase.

Allan says the current unmetered Water UAC for Waihi Beach is $443 – and when adopted ratepayers will be paying a UAC of $350 plus $1 per cubic metre of water used, totalling between $450 and $550 for the average connection.

'There is a benefit initially for Waihi Beach residents. The situation is we all moan about our rates but Waihi Beach, I believe, has been paying way more than the others,” says Allan.

'I have a challenge to you,” Allan told the council at the recent annual plan hearings. 'If you do it now, I think you will have more people in the future that will see the benefits.

'If you don't proceed with it now, you will be in the exactly same place this time next year.”

Katikati Community Board chairman Sam Dunlop disagrees saying the status quo should remain until council can provide tangible evidence of applying fair ratings across the district.

The former Western Bay councillor explains Katikati has no stormwater project, yet will contribute more than $400,000 annually during the next eight years to one – something that should be recognised through roading and reserve projects.

'We are not supporting amalgamation; it is another case of Katikati subsidising the district,” says Sam.

'We will continue supporting the status quo until council directs the district to spend in an ‘even-handed' manner.”