The first full council meeting of the year is being held today, with councillors regathering — no doubt having received lots of helpful advice over the summer break — to consider the Three-Year Plan 2024-2027 draft estimates and branding as well as the Tairāwhiti Moves plan that was reported on in Tuesday’s Herald.
While the council’s long-term active transport plans have surprised some, coming at a time of immense pressure for cyclone recovery and infrastructure upgrades amid financial constraints, they do signal a direction of travel that aligns with its spatial plan, Tairāwhiti 2050. Staff could be told to put it on the back-burner, but more likely it will be adopted after stern words from some councillors about the need to focus on priorities.
Of immediate interest to ratepayers, estimated average rates rises have been refined since it was revealed late last year that the council was looking at maximum annual hikes of 11.4 percent over this special three-year plan focused on cyclone recovery.
The report for today’s meeting estimates the total increases in rates income will be 11.3 percent in year one, 9.8 percent in year two and 8.4 percent in year three. This involves “business as usual” average rates rises of 7.8 percent each year, and a “recovery rate” of 3.5 percent in year one, 2.0 percent in year two and 0.6 percent in year three. The recovery rate in 2025 will involve an additional charge of $82 for 95 percent of ratepayers, with the forestry and pastoral sectors facing an additional targeted woody debris rate.
Prior to this the report outlined the challenges, with “circumstances significantly altered” since it adopted its latest 10-year plan in 2021: these include increased workload to address damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle; the need to ensure repair and restoration work contributes to making the region more resilient; and rising interest rates and inflation.
