The government is allowing debt to rise to 500% of waters revenue for new “Local Water Done Well” Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs). There are also plans to increase the borrowing limit for high growth councils to 350% of council revenue.

Council Meetings

CANDIDATE OPINION: John McDonald

Oct 2, 2025 | Asset Sales, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Elections, Global Agendas, Hamilton 2025, Hamilton City, Infrastructure, LGFA, LGNZ, Opinion, Professional Managerial Class, Rates Increases, Road Pricing and Congestion Charges, Three Waters, Traffic Calming, WEF

John McDonald’s Invited Opinion Piece [All contactable candidates for the 2025 Hamilton City...

Additional Posts

OPINION: I Am Not a Number!

May 30, 2025 | Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Opinion

By Andrew Bydder, Hamilton City Councillor Back in 1967, the lead character in the TV series The...

Concerns that areas of Hamilton are “wastewater network constrained”

Apr 30, 2025 | Core Services, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Developer Contributions, Hamilton City, Health and Safety, High-density Housing, Housing supply, News, Opinion, Pollution, Protest, Regulations, Resource Management Act (RMA), Safety and Well-being, Smart Cities (+ 20-minute Cities), Three Waters, Voting Record

On the 8th of April 2025, Hamilton City Council held a Strategic Growth and District Plan...

Christchurch’s planned $590,000 raised crossing will only cross part of road due to disagreement between community boards

Apr 29, 2025 | Christchurch City, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Hostile Architecture, Mode Shift, News, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading, Voting Record

Summary Christchurch City Council is planning to install a raised pedestrian crossing across Deans...

OPINION: Consult or Insult?

Mar 23, 2025 | Consultation, Council Meetings, Hamilton City, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, Mode Shift, Opinion, Professional Managerial Class, Taking Action, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading

By Andrew Bydder, Hamilton City Councillor Elected councillors or MPs are easily manipulated by...

Hamilton’s $689,000 raised crossing design replaced with a $546,000 “at-level” crossing

Feb 28, 2025 | Consultation, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Hostile Architecture, Mode Shift, News, Taking Action, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading, Voting Record

On 23 October 2024, Hamilton City Council voted to redesign the planned raised crossing on...

OPINION: Giggles & Failure – How Hamilton City Council Approved Another Raised Platform on Wairere Drive

Feb 28, 2025 | Consultation, Council Meetings, Emergency Services, Hamilton City, Hostile Architecture, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, Opinion, Resource Management Act (RMA), Taking Action, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading, Voting Record

By John McDonald (CityWatch NZ Editor and 2024 Hamilton East Ward By-election Candidate) In March...

OPINION: The 2025/26 HCC Budget – More of the Same and No “Fresh Thinking” (Yet) for Election Year

Feb 27, 2025 | Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Elections, Hamilton City, Opinion, Rates Increases, Rubbish

By Rob Pascoe (Chartered Accountant, Former Hamilton City Councillor, and Hamilton Ratepayer) At...

Consultation Closes 28 February 2025: Hamilton City’s District Plan Change 14

Jan 30, 2025 | Consultation, Council Meetings, Flood Risk, Global Warming, Hamilton City, Health and Safety, Law and Legislation, Natural Hazards, New Zealand Issues, News, Property Rights, Taking Action

The public consultation for changing the Hamilton City District Plan based on flood risk modelling...

Crown Observer to Monitor Wellington City Council

Nov 4, 2024 | Article, Asset Sales, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Greater Wellington Region, Hamilton City, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, News, Three Waters, Wellington City

Summary On the 22 October 2024 Local Government Minister Simeon Brown announced that he was...

Hamilton’s $689,000 raised crossing to be redesigned

Nov 2, 2024 | Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Hostile Architecture, Mode Shift, News, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading, Voting Record

On 23 October 2024 Hamilton City Council voted to redesign the planned crossing on Heaphy Terrace....

OPEN LETTER: Getting Local Government ‘Back on Track’

Oct 25, 2024 | Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Crime, Hamilton City, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, Open Letters, Opinion, Property Rights, Rates Increases

By Don Hewison (ScEdD, ChEdD) and sent to government ministers in October 2024 I recently read Hon...

Hamilton’s $689,000 raised crossing delayed

Oct 1, 2024 | Consultation, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Emergency Services, Hamilton City, Health and Safety, Hostile Architecture, Mode Shift, News, Smart Cities (+ 20-minute Cities), Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading, Vision Zero, Voting Record

On Thursday (26 September 2024) Hamilton City Council voted to delay a decision on the plans for a...

Articles covering PM Luxon’s speech to LGNZ (August 2024)

Sep 2, 2024 | Article, Cities, Code of Conduct complaints, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Freedom of Expression, Incoming Legislation, Law and Legislation, LGNZ, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, News, Opinion, Overview, Professional Managerial Class, Rates Increases, Regions, Three Waters, Transport and Roading, Wellington City

Summary Prime Minister Christopher Luxon gave a speech at the Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ)...

Wellington City Council looks to reduce numbers of raised crossings in Thorndon Quay plan

Aug 31, 2024 | Article, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Emergency Services, Health and Safety, Hostile Architecture, Mode Shift, News, Opinion, Petitions, Rates Increases, Safety and Well-being, Taking Action, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading, Voting Record, Wellington City

Opposition to Wellington City Council’s plan to install five raised pedestrian crossing along...

OPINION: Luxon Nails Councils

Aug 27, 2024 | Auckland City, Contractors, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Incoming Legislation, Law and Legislation, LGNZ, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, News, Opinion, Professional Managerial Class, Rates Increases, Three Waters, Transport and Roading, Wellington City

By Andrew Bydder, Hamilton City Councillor Prime Minister Chris Luxon fronted the Local Government...

OPINION: The Fight Against Speed Bumps Rolls On

Aug 18, 2024 | Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Hostile Architecture, Opinion, Safety and Well-being, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading, Voting Record

By Andrew Bydder, Hamilton City Councillor Hamilton City Council’s Infrastructure committee...

OPINION: Te Huia History Part 1 (1968-2010)

Aug 3, 2024 | Article, Auckland City, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Mode Shift, Opinion, Overview, Public Transport, Rail, Transport and Roading, Waikato Region

Te Huia Auckland-Hamilton Passenger Rail Service and Its Predecessors: History Part 1 (1968-2010)...

Democracy Project Article: Why Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating in the country

Jul 25, 2024 | Asset Sales, Core Services, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Mode Shift, News, Opinion, Public Transport, Rates Increases, Three Waters, Transport and Roading, Water Meters, Wellington City

[Originally published 29 April 2024 on the Democracy Project] By Dr Bryce Edwards (Political...

OPINION: The Illusion of Power: How Local Govt Bureaucrats Overawe Democratically-Elected Councillors

Jul 25, 2024 | Asset Sales, Cities, Code of Conduct complaints, Core Services, Council Meetings, Freedom of Expression, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, Opinion, Professional Managerial Class, Wellington City

[Originally published 13 June 2024 on the Democracy Project ] By Chris Trotter (Political...

Democracy Project Article: When unelected officials dominate the local democratic process

Jul 25, 2024 | Article, Asset Sales, Auckland City, Christchurch City, Cities and Regions, Code of Conduct complaints, Council Finances, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Freedom of Expression, Global Agendas, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, News, Opinion, Overview, Professional Managerial Class, Tauranga City, Tauranga City Council Election 2024, Wellington City

Summary Bryce Edwards (Political Analyst and Director of the Democracy Project) provides a...

Kāpiti Coastal Advisory Panel and managed retreat: June 2024 updates

Jun 30, 2024 | Article, Cities and Regions, Climate Change and Weather, Consultation, Council Meetings, Flood Risk, Global Agendas, Global Warming, Greater Wellington Region, International Organisation, Kapiti Coast District, Managed Retreat, Natural Hazards, New Zealand Issues, News, Opinion, Protest, Resource Management Act (RMA), Taking Action, United Nations

June 2024 has been a busy month for the issues of climate change adaptation and managed retreat....

Hamilton City Council Long-Term Plan Hearings: Day 3 Highlights

Jun 10, 2024 | Article, Consultation, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Mode Shift, News, Opinion, Rates Increases, Smart Cities (+ 20-minute Cities), Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading

Selected speakers from the 3rd day of the public hearings for the Hamilton City Council Long-Term...

Hamilton City Council Long-Term Plan Hearings: Day 2 Highlights

Jun 7, 2024 | Consultation, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Hamilton City, News, Rates Increases, Taking Action, Transport and Roading

Selected speakers from the 2nd day of the public hearings for the Hamilton City Council Long-Term...

Protest outside Hamilton City Council on the 27th of June

May 31, 2024 | Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Hamilton City, News, Protest, Taking Action

A protest is being planned before Hamilton City Council’s Long-Term Plan is finalised in...

Hamilton City Council Long-Term Plan Hearings: Day 1 Highlights

May 30, 2024 | Consultation, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Mode Shift, News, Rates Increases, Smart Cities (+ 20-minute Cities), Surveillance, Three Waters, Traffic Calming, UN 2030 Agenda

Selected speakers from the 1st day of the public hearings for the Hamilton City Council Long-Term...

Mar 31, 2024 | Article, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Emergency Services, Hamilton City, Health and Safety, Hostile Architecture, News, Opinion, Safety and Well-being, Taking Action, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading, Vision Zero

By Andrew Bydder, Hamilton City Councillor When Hamilton City Council began its Waka...

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