Dear NZ Empowered
On the 14th April 2024 we sat in our lounge discussing the comments we had seen on Facebook regarding the potential rates increase in Upper Hutt.
We were shocked and concerned. Not just for ourselves but the flow on effect to many in the Community…
Without sounding negative…we have never really had a good relationship with our Council, and over the years we have tried to get them to see sense over numerous things.
After a couple of drinks for courage, we did something we never would have thought we would do….we started a petition….We had no idea where it would lead or if we would get any interest? What would people think? And how on earth would these 2 people who have minimal social circle of people manage to make a difference.
On the 18th April we meet with Mayor Guppy on other issues that we had brought to his attention prior to even learning about the LTP or Rates increases. At that point Paul respected Guppy prior to that meeting….Once he meet with him and following meeting he began to loose trust and confidence in our Mayor.
We will be honest and say before now, due to health issues, we lost contact with many and at the time of the Petition we had close family members and Luey our dog.
On the 23rd April we went to the first LTP Let’s Korero meeting at the Cossie Club in Upper Hutt….This was well outside our comfort zone to say the least…
We brought to Mayor Guppy’s attention many issues we were finding with the LTP consultation information… We remember standing around a table upstairs and Guppy was dumb founded, to the point he finally wanted us to send him an email regarding the issues as he had no answers either….We felt like such fishes out of water, The Mayor was being chummy with people and they were chatting back and we thought, Oh crap we might be in a room full of Guppy Supporters. To our surprise when the meeting started and the Rates increases were bought up the atmosphere in the room changed in an instant. It went from general chit chat and banter to complete disgust and if there were pitch forks available we are sure they would have been out. This set out mind at rest that we were in a room with mostly like minded people.
The follow day on the 24th April we sent an email with questions to the council, after initially having to prompt the council CEO for a response on the 8th May (After the initial consultation period closed) we then got a reply. This reply raised more questions and on asking more questions we received this email back
Not until we looked further we learnt that this breached the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 with respect to the 20 days they have to respond to a request.
We have commented lots on the Facebook .. and many Community sites…. not something we have done and we had many sleepiness nights on sticking ourselves out with our comments.
We continued to receive questions on the Long Term Plan, and the Petition we were also approached by the Media and had an article which appeared in the Leader, which sadly as of a couple of weeks is no longer published, and also in the Post….
This picture and reference to this petition has appeared a few times.
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On the 3rd of May one day after the LTP was due we received a phone call form the reporter who had first approach us. We were both shocked and happy that what we had suggested back officially on the 24th April 2024 was being listened too.
We would then continue to fight for the answers not just ourselves but others had requested…..
We finally received this from our CEO:
This is someone we pay $321,000 per year, and from what we understand he is responsible for creating the LTP with his team…so would have expected he would have the answers.
On the 13th May we supported someone at their oral submission where she brought up about the Army and their rates, we promised her we would do what could and if we required we would use our Oral submission to continue her point…hear is what happened in brief
Then we were introduced to what we would call the start of an infestation of council when the Mayor and CEO sent a letter to Ministers on the Silverstream Spur development. These meetings seem to be on the dates when we were talking with the Mayor and CEO. The dates all married up as to why we believe we did not get responses and the LTP took a back burner.
On the 5th June 2024 we presented the Petition which we can tell you was a real headache….right down to finding out we needed to meet requirements of the UHCC Standing Orders of only 150 words for the petition itself amongst miss information and unhelpfulness of council to give straight answers.
Here we were 2 people with 2225 signatures and we COULD NOT LET THEM DOWN…..WE HAD TO GIVE THEM THE JUSTICE AND RESPECT THEY DESEREVED.
The night before we got 2 hours sleep and worked hard to decide which angle to present this petition. The UHCC showed minimal compassion over the time of the Petition…so we decided to go more down the path of discredit and show the public the type of people those that have voted had entrusted into represent them.
Carson was one major disappointment when he stated 225 signatures and asking the question "how many were rate payers". When according the UHCC Standing Orders section 17, there is no relevance to who signs the petition thus his question was not relevant.
Since the 14th April we have been disgusted with what people have shared with us…..and it has made us feel both humbled but also not wanting to just exit stage left and not respect those that supported us, but our community with the Petition and sent us messages and supported us.
We have no idea and learning as we go…..but what we do know is sometimes you have to stick your neck out…..
Is it scary?….it is unknown?…..heck yeah….but here we are trying.
We have chosen to make our home and our life in Upper Hutt. We don’t want it ruined and controlled by a bunch of individuals, who have been voted in to listen to the community yet sit in their council offices and make whatever decisions they choose for the good of the council. We all live in NZ and these people are voted in to listen and be our voices....
We don’t expect to change the world, not here for money, nor glory. We are here and in it to help where we can, give people a voice and join up Communities to be informed so they can choose. If there is anyone out there who wishes to contribute to this site please get in touch and we can enable you to write and submit articles. This site is here to have your voices heard. So if you have something you wish to share flick us an email.
The NZ Empowered site was started on 10th July 2024 so we are
very much still in development and growth mode.