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Auckland Council staff have apologised for the insensitive tone and language used in invoices that were sent to dairy farmers last year.
Discharge monitoring charges for dairy farmers were delayed because of a council mistake.
The Rural Advisory Panel was told that although each letter contained an explanation for the delay, and an apology for this, it still demanded immediate payment. An invoice for the two-year period could be up to $1000.
Environmental monitoring manager Robert Laulala accepted that it was unreasonable to expect immediate payment for such an unexpected bill. The letter could have included the possibility of specific arrangements for this circumstance.
Panel member and Franklin Local Board chair Alan Cole said farmers were raising the issue with him.
“There doesn’t seem to be any way to dispute an invoice. A lot of them understand the invoices, but are perplexed by the amount,” Cole said.
Cole said the timing of invoices was also a problem because they were sent around calving season.
“When they are under the pump, farmers tend to chuck things on the pile and don’t come back to it,” Cole said.
Panel member Glenn Wilcox said council employed bad tikanga and needed to apologise face-to-face.
“I think it’s time for someone to put on some gumboots, get out there and apologise,” Wilcox said.
