New Plymouth Council dodges accountability following rates blunder

An external review into New Plymouth District Council has revealed a lack of financial reporting knowledge as the cause of its recent rates blunder. Mayor Neil Holdom says he has taken ‘full responsibility’ for the error, but still has no plans to resign.

Sam Warren, Local Government Campaigns Manager for the Taxpayers’ Union, said:

“As far as mistakes go, it’s about as serious as it gets. The mayor taking responsibility is only an empty gesture of faux martyrdom. What it means is that no one will be held accountable for such an expensive blunder.”

“The question needs to be asked, what does it take to be fired in this circus? We deserve better, and ratepayers shouldn’t be on the hook for what seems to be pure ineptitude by council.”

“As councillors sit down to try find more than $3 million in their budget, ratepayers will be asking why more effort wasn’t made to find savings in the first place and reduce the burden of potentially double-digit rates increase. Now is the time for rates capping, not later.”