Hawke’s Bay councils set rates rises - ranging from 15% in Hastings to 5.2% in Wairoa

Hastings District Council says 6 percent of its rate increase is for Cyclone Gabrielle recovery. Earlier this year, the community gathered at Kereru Gorge to mark the opening of a new culvert that reconnected the key route to Hastings.

Hawke’s Bay councils have set their rates for 2025/26, with the biggest increase of 15% at Hastings District Council, while Wairoa has the lowest at 5.2%.

Wairoa District Mayor Craig Little said the original rate rise in its Long Term Plan for this year was 15%. Last year, its rates rose by 19.5%.

Hastings’ hike comes on top of last year’s 19% increase.

This year’s increase is made up of a base increase of 9% and a 6% contribution toward the Cyclone Gabrielle recovery.

The Council said it was the second and final step in establishing a stable targeted rate that will fund the recovery over the next 16 years.

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said its focus for this year continues to be on investing in core services the community relies on every day.

“Roads, bridges, water, waste and community infrastructure. This is especially important as we continue to recover from the devastation caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.”

At its meeting, Councillor Simon Nixon expressed his concern about the financial strain on ratepayers but noted that, unfortunately, there was no alternative.

The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has increased its rates by 9.9%.

The increase follows last year’s 19.6% rise after HBRC changed how its rates were calculated, switching from land value (LV) to capital value (CV).

Napier City Council’s average increase is 8.9%. It had proposed an average increase of 7.9% in its annual plan consultation, but Mayor Kirsten Wise says the decision to keep the library open had pushed it up.

“Although there’s a desire to keep rates low, we were inundated with submissions from people of many different backgrounds, who all shared about how much they value the library. People were clear that they were willing to pay to ensure it stays open,” Wise said.

Ratepayers who need help to meet their rates obligations should get in touch with Napier City Council early to work out a payment plan.

Napier’s rate rise for the previous year was 19.95%.

Central Hawke’s Bay District Council has set its increase at 7.4%. It follows a 20% increase last year.

The increases come into effect on July 1.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.