Waipā to establish Mayoral Disaster Relief Fund

A Mayoral Disaster Relief Fund has today been established for the Waipā District.

This follows Mayor Mike Pettit declaring a State of Emergency on Saturday following severe weather across the Western Waikato region.

The weather event brought widespread heavy rain, flooding and slips, affecting roads, properties and critical infrastructure. A State of Emergency had also been declared in the neighbouring Ōtorohanga District earlier in response to the same event.

Mayor Pettit said it is critical Council can move quickly to support response and recovery efforts.

“Our focus is on helping our communities recover as quickly as possible,” he said.

“We know the impacts of this event are significant, and we want to channel support to the individuals, whānau and community groups who need it most.”

The Waipā District Mayoral Disaster Relief Fund will receive and distribute relief funding supporting response efforts for this event. It will however remain open to attract further funding in the future if – or when – other emergency events occur.

Establishing the fund aligns with guidance from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

Mayor Pettit said recent events highlight the growing challenges facing the district.

“Unfortunately, these events are not isolated. They follow a series of severe weather incidents in our district,” he said.

“With climate change and other risks, we expect these types of events may happen more often. Establishing this fund now means we will be ready to respond quickly in the future.”

Further details about how to contribute to or apply for support from the fund will be widely shared once arrangements are confirmed.