Kāpiti District Councillor Jackie Elliott  has condemned the Horowhenua Council’s $85,000 Agreement to silence neighbours and Iwi complaints about the Hokio Landfill.

Secret copy ends up in Jackie’s hands

She says: ” I have a copy of this agreement in relation to the Hokio landfill, and the terms and conditions relating to it.

“Even though it says in the article that signatories are gagged, I am pleased I received a copy from a resident and copied it to other KCDC councillors last week.”

The Hokio landfill is scheduled to cease operating in 2025 according to the consent it operates under.

Possible  2050 extension date 

However, says Councillor Elliott: ” The agreement gives HDC councillors the decision, by vote,  to extend operations further, possibly to 2050 without further avenues for complaints by any affected or future affected neighbours.

“Probably most concerning is the fact that records show that 9 out of the 11 HDC elected members vote in accordance with the C.E. and staff recommendations regardless of detrimental effects. This is, in my opinion, a hung council”. says Councillor Elliott.

“This agreement is a surprise as last year, as K.C.D.C representative on the Wgtn Regional Waste Forum, I met members of Ngatii Pareraukawa Marae next to the Hokio landfill who have lodged hundreds of formal complaints to Horizons Regional Council about the odour and leachates  over the last 10 years.

Complaints to KCDC

“They had also complained to and spoken to the Kapiti Coast District Council staff and to public council meetings.

“They were incensed that since 2009 the KCDC allowed  Kapiti rubbish to be trucked to the landfill by the landfill leaseholders and KCDC waste contractors Envirowaste .

“They also showed that Horowhenua District Council had been in breach of conditions in the current resource consent and that therefore KCDC were allowing Kapiti waste there in breach of KCDCs  own operational agreement with Envirowaste that KCDC’s waste would only be taken to a landfill operating in accordance with consent conditions.

Cr Elliott working with Horowhenua Mayor Feyen

“I continue working on this, as a cross-boundary issue with Horowhenua Mayor Micheal Feyen, who is opposed to Kapiti’s waste being exported to the Horowhenua. says Cr Elliott.

“Importantly, although this is a cross electoral-boundary issue, it concerns the one Ngati Raukawa rohe and is very much a Kapiti issue. A Ngati Pareraukawa delegation had never voiced their concerns to the current elected Mayor and Councillors (nor in last triennium) and I invited them to speak to our council.”

‘Emotional pleas to KCDC

Cr Elliott says this happened mid last year and Iwi group made emotional pleas to the Kāpiti Council to stop sending tonnes of Kapiti waste to the Hokio landfill, a practice that still happens today.

She adds: “In response, Mayor Gurunathan’s only action was proposing setting up a mayoral focus group on waste minimization. The group was formalized only last week and has yet to proceed with any work.

Objectors grievances

“Now it appears those who came and spoke to KCDC  — who brought their grievances after 10 years and hundreds of formal complaints — could be among those who have accepted.

“I would be interested to know who the exact signatories are, and we will find out, no doubt through Horowhenua residents.”

Plaudits for the non–signatories

Councillor Elliott concludes: “Meanwhile, I applaud those who have not signed it to date, and who wish to retain their rights to… (participate) … inissues that may arise from the operation of the site.”