by Concerned Ratepayers Kapiti

Rich KCDC elites shun older Ratepaupers. (AI altered)

KCDC have recently run two surveys of residents’ opinions, with one having 56% of the responses from older people (over the age of 60), and one with 61% of  the responses from older people.  Why is KCDC taking a contradictory stance on the reliability of the respective survey results?

Last week we reported on the Council meeting that considered the responses to its survey on priorities for the next Long Term Plan.  We reported that Councillors were sceptical of the survey’s results, as 56% of those who responded to the survey were over the age of 60.

We are worried by this attitude, many of you thought so, too. 

So we looked at the other recent survey that the Council has done … on the community’s view of possible local body amalgamation options.

You’ll recall that the survey showed that 43% of the 2,770 responses supported the Council’s own preference for a single Kapiti Coast authority, followed by combining with Horowhenua, at 36.2%.

Mayor Holborow gushed at the result: “I don’t think anybody was really surprised by the result of our survey,” the Mayor was quoted in Te Pou/The Post newspaper.  “What we hear from the community is that they think we’re in pretty good shape.”

What’s disturbing is that 61% of respondents to the Council’s amalgamation survey were over the age of 60 – even more than the supposedly unreliable Council survey on the Long Term Plan.  So, why is the Council sceptical of a survey because 56% of respondents were over the age of 60, when it wholeheartedly endorses a survey with 61% of older people as respondents?

The only conclusion anyone can draw is that KCDC will unquestionably endorse the results when a survey produces the result the Council wanted all along.  Survey results are, however, regarded as questionable when it produces a different answer to what the Council wanted. 

At last week’s Council meeting, Councillors talked about trying to find different way to get the views of people who don’t engage with surveys.  We think this is a good thing to do – as long as the Council treats all responses equally rather than selecting the views that best lines up with a pre-determined conclusion.

We believe the approach the Council took to the amalgamation survey was the right one.  It respected, and equally weighted, the views of all of the people who responded.  Its didn’t try to segment the views of the younger people from the older people, so it could cherry pick who said what.

We believe the Council should do the same with the Long Term Plan survey.  Council should respect that you took the time and effort to respond.  It shouldn’t discount your views just because you’re the “wrong” demographic.  And then it should act on what you said to them.

Councillors will only change their behaviour if you demand it.  Write to your local Councillor and let them know that, whether you are young or old, your views should be treated equally.