News

Priorities set for Council’s Annual Plan 2025-26 year

22 May 2025

Council Chambers

Key priorities identified by the Clutha District Council at the Annual Plan Decisions meeting on Thursday (15 May 2025) signalled an indicative overall rates increase of 16.04% for the 2025-26 year.

Clutha District Council Mayor Bryan Cadogan acknowledged his frustration at the extent of rate rises.

“We have done everything in our power to mitigate against this, but the legal and consenting requirements have limited Council’s flexibility.

“Given the extreme challenges and lack of options, as best we could, we have stayed true to our communities making fiscal prudent requirements,” Mayor Cadogan said.

Equally the Mayor also acknowledged his disappointment in Council’s investment portfolio which had produced a recent poor return because of overall global market performance, which had in turn affected how much could be allocated to community for their funding requests.

Council recognised that maintaining sustainable reserves was essential for future funding, but investment in communities remained equally important.

“Frustratingly reality meant that we were not about to support our community champions to the extent we have done in the past.

“Our commitment is still for our community, but this is not the year for anything other than restraint,” Mayor Cadogan said.

The month-long consultation process resulted in 81 submissions to the Annual Plan 2025/26 and 6 submissions to the Fees and Charges 2025/26 with a hearing on both held on 30 April 2025.

While most of the decisions related to projects already included in Council’s Long Term Plan 2024-34, published last year, some new projects were introduced into this annual plan due to their urgent nature, with 3 waters funding redirected from other less urgent projects to help fund them. These new projects identified are:

  • $2 M for the renewal of wastewater and stormwater pipelines because of the recent slumping identified at the north end of Milton, on State Highway 1, between Elizabeth Street and Melville Avenue.
  • $540 K for the replacement of the Milton Water Treatment Plant membranes as the current membranes have reached the end of their useful life.
  • $175 K for the installation of a second Smart Hydrants in Milton to comply with drinking water standards.

Community funding requests

A recurring theme emerged during this item for decision that there were diverse needs across the different areas in the district regarding community pools and museums. Councillors identified that urgent reviews were required, and it was acknowledged that until these assessments were completed, new funding allocations should be put on hold to ensure consistency.

Council allocated the following funds and/or support for community groups and projects:

  • Tuapeka Aquatic Centre - council staff will work with the Tuapeka Aquatic Centre on how to meet their heating requirements for the future.
  • Lawrence Chinese Camp Charitable Trust - $75,000 financial support, from Council’s investment surplus, towards stage 2 of the redevelopment project at the Lawrence Chinese Camp.
  • Clutha Development Incorporated - $150,000 for destination management to support tourism growth in the Clutha District, funded from rates.
  • Te Pou Ō Mata-au Charitable Trust - $80,000 for an operational grant to support the Te Pou Ō Mata-Au Clutha District War Memorial & Community Centre, funded from rates.
  • South Otago Historical Society - $20,000 to support the funding of a curator, funded from rates.
  • Waipori Goldfields Charitable Trust - $25,000 towards restoration costs of the Canton Battery and Water Wheel, from Council’s investment surplus, to support preservation of the now rare heritage structure.
  • West Otago Health Trust - $37, 942 to extend the trust’s loan to support their land purchase, funded from rates.
  • Owaka Swimming Baths - $9,783 increase to their operational grant, funded from Council’s investment surplus.
  • Clutha Budget Advisory Service - $25,000 for operational costs associated with the Food Hub, funded from rates.
  • Tuapeka Aquatic Centre - top up of funding of $8,382 for employee wages, funded from Council’s investment surplus.
  • West Otago Community Centre - $15,443 increase to their operational grant, funded from rates.
  • Heriot Domain Board - $15,000 operational grant to support maintenance etc, funded from rates.
  • Heriot and Districts Community Centre - $5,000 increase to their operational grant, funded from rates.
  • South Otago Mountain Bike Incorporated - $4,000 grant to further develop and maintain their downhill mountain bike park, funded from reserves.
  • Moanariri Crib Owners’ Association - $1,500 increase to their operational grant, funded from rates.
  • Balclutha Community Garden - a grant to cover the costs of services (water, wastewater and waste) to the garden, Council’s investment surplus.

Our Place community plan requests

Council approved to carry forward funding allocations for Our Place projects throughout the district from the Long Term Plan 2024-34 that had not been progressed. However, there were some new requests identified that are listed below:

Balclutha

Centennial Park toilet – Rather than allocate funding at the meeting Council supported staff to help with further investigations into a toilet being located near the dog park as a report with a confirmed quote was required for consideration at a future meeting.

Milton

Main street hanging baskets – Councillor Catherwood offered to donate 16 baskets to Milton at the Council meeting. Council gratefully accepted the offer however as the hanging baskets required manual watering Council decided to make these available to shop owners on the main street of Milton to install at their choice.

Taylor Park grandstand maintenance – Council approved an additional $2,000 per annum in the Milton routine parks budget for maintenance of the grandstand, funded from rates.

Dog Park – Council approved an additional $2,500 and $1,000 to install and maintain an extra rubbish bin at the Milton Dog Park, funded from rates.

Catlins

Kākā Point Public toilets – Council approved an additional $14,000 to extend the carpark beside the new toilet project, funded from rates.

Wilsher Bay Reserve – Council approved funding to allow for improvements by providing and maintaining a rubbish bin. They also agreed to provide financial support to install a culvert at the entrance to the reserve and to open the Willsher Bay toilets on a trial basis in summer 2025 – 2026. This is to support the Kaka Point Community Group who have recently taken on administrative responsibility for the Wilsher Bay Domain.

Lawrence

Lawrence Cemetery – Council approved $10,000 for removal of pine trees and debris from the Lawrence Cemetery, funded from reserves

Kaitangata

Riverside Trail – Council approved $5,000 to support mowing the road reserve between Clutha River and Summerhill Road/Eddystone Street, funded from rates.

Clinton

Side Street verge - Council approved $2,550 per annum for the improved maintenance of the verge, funded from rates.

Taieri Mouth

Sawmill Creek maintenance - Council approved $10,000 towards clearance of the Sawmill Creek reserve to clean up gorse and $2,000 for spraying and stop gorse from coming back for the following years, this was funded from Council’s investment surplus.

Council will meet to adopt its 2025-26 Annual Plan on Thursday, June 26 2025 and finalise the average rates increase to the district at that meeting.