Letters

Rate rises

The latest SWDC rates newsletter congratulates the Council on a rates increase of 5.48% — which it describes as “slightly higher” than the 4.69% forecast in the long-term plan.

Of course, the increase is not “slightly higher”. It is 17% higher than the forecast increase, which can only be “slightly higher” in the minds of those who don’t have to pay it.

In addition, an increase of 5.48% in the rates is significantly greater than the current inflation rate, and much greater than the movement in any index of wages or earnings.

Am I to suppose that this increase is needed to pay for the spin doctors who would have us believe that 17% is a slight increase?

Richard Rudman

An absolute travesty

This town needs the input of all the skills and intelligence of our small population if it is to advance in our rapidly changing world. What a ‘case-in-point’ we have in Shirley Nightingale, our- highly valued ‘Branch Librarian’.

Her treatment by our local Council is an absolute travesty. We are very fortunate to have a person with such leadership and management skills in such a vital role, add to that her great knowledge and passion for her profession and the creativity and flair with which she works and we are blessed indeed. 

In the absence of any information around this case from either party ( how convenient the highly-held principal of confidentiality ), there are rumours of a matter of perceived excessive leniency regarding  overdue books. A better thing I say for said books to be off the shelves and with borrowers than collecting dust. Ms Nightingale is well able to ascertain the whereabouts of the tomes should another reader require them. 

Many items I have borrowed were last issued several years previous therefore safely never risking an overdue status. Is that to be considered the preferable state of affairs?  If this is constitutes a sackable offense it is a sad triumph of petty mindless bureaucratic nonsense.

I am one of many calling on the Council to take a deep breath, stop this idiocy and reinstate Shirley to her rightful role. Lets all get on with trying to make progress in our great little community, not promote nastiness and division which, make no mistake, is what is happening here.

Karen Krogh

Local councils needs to confront the climate crisis

We have a climate crisis but for many this has not yet hit home. Business as usual continues to take precedence. Local government and local communities are absolutely essential to confronting the climate crisis. It is the biggest environmental challenge we have ever faced and will affect everyone in the region.

So what are our local body politicians offering as so-called community leaders when it comes to the climate crisis? Not much.

Information from NIWA reports significant impacts to the Wairarapa by 2090 if global emissions are not significantly reduced:

 Annual regional temperatures will increase by 3°C

There will be a significant increase in hot days

Spring rainfall will reduce by up to 15% in eastern areas

The risk of drought will increase significantly in the Wairarapa

There will be more extreme rainfall events

Some of the impacts of climate change are now inevitable and we need to prepare to adapt to those. At the same time we need to work to avoid the very worst potential impacts by reducing emissions.

Although local councils do not have the regulatory powers or financial clout of the national government, and they cannot reverse global warming by themselves, they do have a crucial role to play. 

It is local councils who have direct responsibility for environmental planning and regulation in their region. Adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change are significant challenges that should be a new priority focus for councils.

In the up coming Council elections I hope that everyone will support and vote for the candidates who commit to real action on the climate crisis.

Jude Brown,