This report covers the period to November 2002.

1.1 Spraying

No drains have been sprayed this financial year.

1.2 Mechanical Cleaning

No mechanical cleaning has been undertaken this year to date.

1.3 Pump Operation

A summary of pump hour’s operation for the current year is attached for the members’ information, and a summary of the pump hours for the year ended 30 June 2002.

Environment Waikato have programmed an amount to undertake repairs to the Stocks Pump discharge lines. This work will probably take place this summer. No works on the Stocks to Hubbard Road pump bypass have been programmed.

No subdivisions were commented on in this period.

Council resolved in July 2002 as follows:

THAT the quorum at any meeting of a committee and a sub-committee shall consist of half the members (including vacancies) of the committee or sub-committee if the number of committee members is even and a majority if the number is odd.

The Works Committee were advised at the October Meeting as follows:

In the case of the Opukeko Drainage District, there is no elected committee as such. The practice has been for all the ratepayers, numbering around 16, to be sent the meeting agenda documents, and those who attend, including the Council representative, transact the business of the drainage district. In the past the quorum requirement was two members which was generally achieved from the five or six regular attendees. In the absence of an elected committee, the chances of achieving a quorum of a majority of the sixteen ratepayers is fairly remote. The regular attendees do not at present have a mandate by way of elected representation to conduct the business with a quorum of say three members.

The Opukeko ratepayers will be advised of the situation at their next meeting in November or December. With the status of the drainage committees being sub-committees of the Works Committee, it may be appropriate for a direction to be given by this committee. It would be possible to conduct an election with the small number of ratepayers fairly readily, and at minimal cost. The Committee’s views are invited.

The Works Committee made no recommendation.

The last meeting of this sub committee of Environment Waikato was held in Matamata on 15 November and was attended by the Drainage Manager. A brief report on items of interest to the Opukeko Drainage District will be given at the meeting.

No meeting of the review subcommittee has been held this year, although progress has been made on the outstanding issues. Advice has been sought from Geoff Balme of Beattie Rickman on the processes required to confirm the proposals, and the implications of the new Local Government Rating Act.

Ian McLeod