Mayor's Foreword

Kia ora,

As we approach our annual plan review, it’s vital to reflect on the commitments made to the projects initiated in the last triennium. While we honour these decisions, we must also exercise prudence in our future expenditures as we navigate our financial landscape.

We must face the reality of our current situation.

At the time of writing, the Council is facing a proposed average rates increase of 20.58% across the district.

This is not a typo. Nor should it be a surprise, as we signalled an 18.92% increase for the coming 2026/27 financial year in the Long Term Plan. This is when the funding decision was made to spread a 45% rates increase over three years.

We simply cannot continue borrowing money to offset our rates as we have done in the past, we must face the facts.

I want to stress that the Council operates as a cost-recovery organisation and is not profit-driven.

The most significant cost drivers we face are due to rising expenses associated with drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services, second are necessary projects and improvements. The reality of securing our infrastructure and future-proofing our communities has meant an unavoidable increase throughout the district.

As elected members we are working hard to navigate these challenges while trying to do what is right by our residents and ratepayers.

Our revenue streams are limited, and our ratepayer base is increasingly strained by the costs associated with necessary services.

For our district to thrive, we need more ratepayers, which means we must focus on turning our weaknesses into strengths and encouraging startup enterprises.

“Bums on seats” is what will drive our communities forward, so to help fill empty homes or support housing developments we must capitalise on existing and new employment opportunities.

I, alongside your elected councillors, remain focused on the way forward, especially after the October 2025 wind weather event created a disruptive start to this new triennium and the financial burdens we face.

Our councillors all bring valuable life skills, knowledge and insights to the table and as we move into consultation and decision phases of this annual plan, I will continue to remind everyone the importance of emphasising the “why” behind our actions.

We will continue to work closely with our Chief Executive, Group Managers and staff to assess, line-by-line, the must-haves and nice-to-haves that affect our communities.

Our goal is to minimise cost escalations to rates.

For example, we recently discovered that expenditure on our transfer stations for the 2024/25 year was $111,000, with an income stream of only $4,500. This is clearly not a sustainable business model!

As a result, we have temporarily closed some stations while we explore alternative solutions. For every $497,000 we can save, it equates to a 1% reduction in rates.

Now is the time to explore alternative revenue streams to enhance our financial stability, supporting a comprehensive growth model that benefits everyone.

Please take the time to read this consultation document and get involved in the consultation and decision-making process. Let us know your must-haves.

Together, through collaboration and commitment, we can strengthen our district and secure a prosperous and sustainable future.

Sincerely,

Your Mayor, Jason (Jock) Martin