Word from our Mayor Kirsten Wise

Published: 30 June 2024

Last Updated: 6 August 2024

A big thank you to everyone who took the time to contribute to our Three-Year Plan. We received 837 submissions and heard from 65 individuals and groups who spoke to us in person. In response to community feedback, we have decreased our rates increase from 23.7% to 19.95%. 

The decrease has been achieved partly by reducing labour costs. We will do this by holding staff numbers at their current level and looking carefully at any vacant positions we have yet to fill. Our community asked us to explore organisational efficiencies but alongside this it’s important we don’t reduce our delivery of essential projects and services. The details are yet to be finalised and we’ve instructed our officers to go back to the drawing board and look at every area where we can tighten up our costs. This will probably be a case of dozens of tiny tweaks rather than major cuts in any one area. 

The rates reduction has been further achieved through lowering the proposed Resilience Rate. For 2024/25, the rate will be ringfenced for emergency management activities and the Joint Coastal Hazards Strategy only. 

I know that 19.95% is still a large increase compared to our increases in previous years. We need to take a big step forward to get us into a healthy position, and from there we can move on with more moderation. With this 19.95% increase, we’re making up for lost time. We can’t leave a situation like the one we have inherited and we must put resources into essential infrastructure to ensure firm foundations for our future.

Other Three-Year Plan decisions:

1. Updated stormwater map rolled back to alleviate pressure on Rural Residential ratepayers.
2. Shift focus to delivering retirement housing only.
3. Increase some fees and charges beyond the consumer price index to ease pressure on rates.
4. Review Ocean Spa charges, with a view to introduce residents and Supergold discounts.
5. Council-controlled trading organisation to be established, to ultimately reduce future rates increases.
6. Loan-funding deficits of some Council facilities as they transition to being financially self-sufficient.
7. Restrengthening the Library Tower for Council office accommodation.

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