Gisborne District Council ‘laser-focused’ on three-year recovery plan

The Gisborne District Council has officially adopted its Three Year Plan with a focus on the recovery of the region’s infrastructure, roading, drainage and compliance.

The Gisborne District Council began the most extensive three-year work plan in its history from yesterday, the start of the council’s new financial year.

Councillors last week officially adopted the 2024-2027 Three Year Plan (3YP) and set rates at 11.4% for the year.

Mayor Rehette Stoltz said they had listened to the community, who asked them to focus on the basics.

The 3YP focuses on the recovery of the region’s infrastructure, roading, drainage and compliance.

“As a council, we will be laser-focused over the next three years to make sure that we do this for our community,” she said in a statement.

The 3YP includes $438 million of capital works over the next three years and 90% of this is being spent on infrastructure.

Chief executive Nedine Thatcher Swann said it was a first for the council.

“To put it into context – it would usually take 10 years to deliver what this council will deliver in three years.

“I’d like to thank the work of councillors and council staff – over the past six to seven months – who led this plan and met with the community to pull together this mammoth piece of work.”

Gisborne Mayor Rehette Stoltz says the Three Year Plan shows that councillors have listened to the community, who asked them to focus on the basics.

The 11.4% rate increase was the lowest councillors could go to address the challenges as a region while trying to balance affordability for ratepayers.

“We are operating in one of the toughest environments New Zealand has ever seen,” Thatcher Swann said.

“The debt cap has been set at 175%, which is a reflection of the amount of work that needs to be done.”

Stoltz said she hoped, after three years of hard work, that in 2027 Tairāwhiti could be more aspirational as a region and “lift our gaze for what we want to leave for our children in Tairāwhiti”.

Community consultation on the 3YP went from March 20 to April 19. The council received 173 formal submissions containing about 582 individual submission points.

Most submitters agreed with the six preferred rate increase options presented for water, roads, land drainage, large wood debris and townships, and with council plans for future-proofing waste disposal.

The final 3YP will be available next week on the council’s website.