WDC councillors decided last week to pull financial support for Timber Trail marketing. File photo
Waitomo District Council’s financial support for Timber Trail marketing will end on June 30.
Councillors made the decision during annual plan deliberations last week.
Discussion addressed a submission by Dr Kahutoi Te Kanawa of the Waitomo Ratepayers and Residents Collective, who said the original funding decision was made in a confidential meeting attended by the then mayor and deputy mayor who were financially involved in Timber Trail Adventures Ltd. They did not vote but remained in the room.
Kahutoi said there was no reason for the decision to be made in a public-excluded meeting. A paper presented to councillors in 2016 stated the grant was seed funding, and wasn’t intended to continue beyond three years.
Since then, the Timber Trail had received council grants totalling $150,000 for marketing – all of it for the benefit of private enterprise, she said.
The council halved its marketing contribution to $15,000 a year in 2018. In the 2021 long-term plan discussion, funding was continued despite the mayor’s opposition because of an anticipated effect on Benneydale.
Councillor Janene New argued that promoting the timber trail was bringing visitors into the district from the south, and businesses were being established in Maniaiti/Benneydale because of it.
“There’s a number of BnBs there that have become established since the trail was established. A coffee cart, a café, a service station. They all rely on the Timber Trail traffic as well. So, we are not talking about the [Timber Trail] businesses, we are talking about the trail as a tourist attraction,” she said.
“We have invested money in Hamilton Waikato Tourism, we need to invest money at the other end because our district goes down to the other end as well.
“We are not talking about businesses; we are talking about economic development for the future of our district. To give opportunity for people to engage in business or to be employed – so we don’t end up a little ghost town.
“If we didn’t have the promotion of the Timber Trail, the village of Maniaiti/Benneydale would be looking in a lot poorer state than what it is. And we need to continue to promote people to come through Maniaiti/Benneydale so that it can have an opportunity to thrive.”
The council funding is part of a sub-regional arrangement that includes $30,000 from the Ruapehu district and $45,000 from the MBIE.
Last week, Janene failed to gain the support of new councillors, apart from Janette Osborne who wanted her opposing vote recorded.
Janene said a report on the regional and economic impact of the trail over 10 years showed the return on investment had been phenomenal for the district. Revenue of more than $8 million, excluding $5 million in employment.
Allan Goddard said the council had been remiss in not reporting where the money had gone and what benefits had come from it.
He said 22,000 people had come through the timber trail and the majority had come through the Waitomo District. It had a huge value he didn’t think had ever been reported.
“I think there’s been a lot of misinformation about the value of the spending,” Allan said.
The council will continue to fund Hamilton/Waikato Tourism, which contributes to the Timber Trail.
In reply to questions from Eady Manawaiti, John said the council money went towards promoting the Timber Trail; the beneficiaries were the operators and customers. It did not go to a privately owned business.
Ruapehu District Council, which continues to contribute $30,000 a year, has the lead role in administering the fund.
Jeanette Osborne asked if the public could be given a chance to absorb the information and get feedback rather than prematurely ending the funding.
Mayor John Robertson said there was only a 30-day notice period required to stop the $15,000 payment on June 30.
