While I am no longer a CHB Ratepayer I reserve the right to comment on the principals of CHB District Councils 'adjustments' to the rating system. While many rural ratepayers will be pleased with the new system which ties urban ratepayers into paying rural roading levies, and will no doubt feel that actual rates reductions (in some cases) are quite justified, many urban ratepayers are just now starting to realise that they have been taken to the cleaners.

It was only a couple of weeks ago as I was getting ready to leave CHB, that something seemingly small, such as the fact that in having to purchase bags for rubbish, instead of having the bags paid for out of their rates, will in most cases become a small increase in rates, which has alerted ratepayers in general. With suspicions that many will be paying a huge rates increase, well above the 'average' increase that Council has quoted,the increasing body of ratepayers who consider that they have been 'done' by the change in the system, are no doubt finding that their protests were too little and coming much too late. Personally, I feel that it is now beyond the ability of urban ratepayers in CHB, to change their situation. Muted protest and the difficulty in having that protest recognised where it counts, probably means that real democracy in CHB local governance is heading for its final resting place.

As if the change in the system and the subsequent rates rises are not enough, ratpayers should be very alert for the sereptitious withdrawing of services, by Council, without a corresponding rates rebate to its constituents.

Alas, the only advise I can give at this late stage, is not to allow yourself to be caught up in the general apathy, by adjusting to that which has been wrought against you. When it is time for the next local body elections, have a good clean-out. Get new blood onto council, making sure that individually they each have good election planks, which take into account the present hard times, rather than make your district pay for the local governance sins of the past. You need to be ruthless in making sure that local media report the way individual councillors vote on issues, and take your complaints directly to individual councillors, when they do not vote according to their pre-election campaigning.

Up here in Te Awamutu, rates are at a similar level to those in CHB, but we have our facilities, and are not stuck behind a financial 'eightball' created by the failings of the several most recent councils.