The majority of Waikato councils have adopted their LTPs. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer
Following draft plans, community consultations and much deliberation, councils around New Zealand adopted their Long-Term Plans 2024-34.
But what ended up in the LTPs of Waikato councils? What was scrapped? How high are rates going to be?
Times are tough and rates increases are skyrocketing across New Zealand.
However, the rates increases set for ratepayers across Waikato are not among the country’s highest.
Overall, the LTPs of Waikato councils have one thing in common: councils say they are a “back to basics” budget.
After much debate, Hamilton City Council landed on a 16.5% rates increase in 2024/25, instead of the proposed 19.9% increase.
In response to the strong community feedback, proposed cuts to funding for community services grants, Hamilton and Waikato Tourism and event sponsorship have been reversed.
The Meteor and Clarence St theatres have been given $50,000 of funding each over the next three years, from existing budgets.
Shoppers in the central city will get free on-street parking for another two years, as opposed to another six months as in the proposed plan.
Targeted rates for community infrastructure or extreme weather and community resilience won’t be introduced.
The Long-Term Plan was adopted on July 4.
The full plan can be found online on the council’s website.
Waikato Regional Council approved a 7.4% rates increase in the first year.
This is higher than the proposed 6% rates increase.
The hot topic for the regional council was the funding for Te Huia, the passenger train between Auckland and Hamilton, after NZTA announced it would progressively reduce its subsidy.
After two days of deliberations, the council decided to continue funding the service for the next two years.
Other decisions adopted as part of the regional council’s LTP included a region-wide public transport rate from 2025/26, increasing the natural heritage rate and disestablishing the Regional Development Fund.
The regional council adopted its 2024-2034 Long-Term Plan on June 27.
The full plan can be found online on the council’s website.
Waikato District Council confirmed an 11.9% general rate revenue increase, instead of the proposed 13.75%.
The council prepared an Enhanced Annual Plan for the 2024/25 financial year which drew in 227 submissions.
Waikato District Council chief operating officer Tony Whittaker said councillors were forced to make tough decisions that won’t please everyone.
“We know many households are experiencing financial stress and the affordability of rates is a real concern. Council was able to remove or spread the timing of some projects to bring costs down next year.”
The total cost of the council’s expenditure in the 2024/25 year is $225 million.
Of this, 30%, would be spent on roading and 25% on three waters services (13% on wastewater, 9% on water and 3% on storm water).
Other projects include the construction of the Pookeno Hub/Library which will be carried out across two financial years (2024/25 and 2025/26). The total cost of the project is $6m, with $2,829,660 budgeted in 2024/25.
The council also reduced its funding to Hamilton Waikato Tourism from $150,000 to $121,500 from 2024/25 onwards. Part of the savings made from this, $28,500, would be reallocated to Waikato Screens as a one-off grant.
The council adopted the Enhanced Annual Plan on June 26.
You can find the full plan online on the council’s website.
The council is now shifting the focus to preparing the 2025-34 Long-Term Plan.
Thames-Coromandel District Council landed on a 13.2% average rates increase in the first year of the LTP.
This is more than the originally proposed 12.9%.
The largest portion of the council’s budget would be spent on roading, with $245.4m spent over the next 10 years, and coastal protection across the district, with $92.7m budgeted.
The budget for replacing the Whitianga Transfer Station has been increased by $2.2m to a total of $11.5m from 2024/25 to 2025/26.
With economic development agency Te Waka now closed, the council has removed its budget of $35,000 per year for this.
As the council received a request to provide funding to Screen Waikato for continuing to help attract and capture film productions to the Thames-Coromandel area, it decided to provide $15,000 to Screen Waikato each year.
The controversial Thames Aquatic Facility has been included in the LTP with $39.9m from 2024/25 to 2028/29.
The council adopted the plan on June 27.
You can find the final plan online on the council’s website.
Hauraki District Council landed on an average household rates increase of 17.4% in the first year.
This does not include water bills.
To recover the additional costs the council faces to continue to meet drinking water standards, and to remove manganese from the Plains water supply, the council would increase water bills by 31.2% for the first year.
The council would spend the majority of its budget on three waters services, roading and land drainage.
A new wastewater treatment plant in Paeroa is one of the main priorities, alongside completing the upgrade of the town’s transfer station.
In terms of community services, the council would build a new library in Ngātea in the first three years of the LTP.
The council will also do the required minimum seismic strengthening work at the Waihī Art Centre and Museum.
The council adopted the plan on June 27.
The full plan can be found online on the council’s website.
Matamata-Piako District Council landed on an average rates increase of 15.1% in 2024/25.
This is slightly less than the originally proposed 15.7%.
A hot topic was the proposed spa development for Te Aroha. The council voted to proceed with the proposed option of spending $200,000 for scoping and planning works for a new spa in 2025/26 and up to $5 million in 2026/27 to develop or refurbish the current spa.
There won’t be any new walking and cycling connections and safety improvements; however, the budget does still include $50,000 for Matamata pedestrian improvements on Bridie Ave, and ongoing renewal and maintenance of the existing network.
The council also removed the proposed stage for Matamata Civic Centre from the budget.
Mayor Adrienne Wilcock said the council had kept affordability at the “front and centre” of the Long-Term Plan.
“We live here too and we don’t like large rates increases either, but we’ve had to grapple with some complex issues and a lot of uncertainty in the current environment. Projects have been removed and deferred.”
The council adopted the LTP on July 3.
The full plan can be found online on the council’s website.
Waipā District Council adopted a “back-to-basics” Enhanced Annual Plan on June 25, confirming an average rates rise of 14.8%.
The increase is the same as originally signalled in December.
Mayor Susan O’Regan said the council had to make some tough calls because of the financial challenges, including putting some major community projects on hold and making significant cuts to discretionary funding.
More than three-quarters of the budget will be spent on infrastructure, including roads and footpaths, water treatment and supply, wastewater and stormwater. Less than a quarter will be spent on community and other support services.
One of the hot topics during the feedback process was the Cambridge Water Tower. Following deliberations, councillors agreed to apply for a resource consent for demolition.
In response to submissions, the Cambridge Community Board, Te Awamutu Kihikihi Community Board and the Pirongia Ward Committee received small increases to their proposed funding.
The Cambridge Town Hall received an increase of $100,000 to be in line with its operating funding agreement and Destination Cambridge and Destination Te Awamutu each received a one-year grant of $30,000 to fund i-Site services.
You can find the full plan online on the council’s website.
The council is now shifting the focus to preparing its 2025-34 Long-Term Plan.
Earlier this year, Taupō District Council opted to delay its LTP.
The draft LTP was open for feedback until July 8. The council held its hearings and deliberations this week.
In its draft LTP, the council proposed an average rates increase of 11.6% in 2025.
The council also proposed cutting the operational funding for Destination Great Lake Taupō and the local economic development agency Amplify by 20% and pausing or cancelling some projects, including delaying a fourth court at Taupō Events Centre.
Another proposal is installing water meters, switching from rubbish bags to rates-funded wheelie bins and planning for a new bridge across the Waikato River.
Over the next 10 years, the council planned to spend the most money on infrastructure ($174.9m), followed by transport ($133m) and Sport and recreation facilities ($116.1m).
The council will adopt the LTP at the end of September.
The draft LTP can be found online on the council’s website.
In its draft LTP, South Waikato District Council proposed an average rate revenue increase of 8.9% in 2024/25 and for the following two years.
The council intends to spend $238m over the coming 10 years, including $130.3m on three waters, $20.7m on community facilities, $57.7m on roading, $5.7m on parks and reserves, $3.6m on business support and $10.3m on economic and community development.
There will be a complete rebuild of the pool facility in Tokoroa.
However, the council would not rebuild the library and instead spend $2m to spruce it up.
The council would investigate the Tīrau pool, Putāruru Transfer Station, community halls, library and community hub and the Tokoroa airfield.
It would discontinue Community Development Grants and instead, use this funding to help community groups and organisations build capacity and capability to secure funding for projects and initiatives from other funders.
In the LTP the council also signalled that water meters for urban properties would be coming in year three of this LTP, meaning from 2026/27.
The council adopted the plan on July 17.
Ōtorohanga District Council approved a 10.37% rates increase in 2024/25.
This is slightly higher than the 9.96% increase it consulted on.
The council adopted its LTP on June 25.
The full plan can be found online on the council’s website.
Waitomo District Council landed on an average rates increase of 11.07%.
Over the 10 years, the council plans to spend a total of $153.2m. Of this, 58.1% would be spend on roading infrastructure and 28.2% on three waters services (14.3% on water supply, 3.9% on wastewater and 8% on stormwater).
The council would introduce water meters across the district; however, the project will start in 2027/28 with the installation of meters in Piopio and Te Kūiti, with charges commencing in the later years after the installation of the meters is largely complete.
The council adopted its LTP on June 25.
The full plan can be found online on the council’s website.
Ruapehu District Council has adopted an average rate rise of 9% per year for the first three years of the Long-Term Plan.
A big part of the budget would be spent on roading and three waters infrastructure, followed by community facilities.
Under the adopted plan, the council’s debt position is projected to be around $87.6m by the end of the LTP period, assuming all current three waters projects are included without further Government assistance.
The council adopted the plan on June 26.
The full plan can be found online on the council’s website.
Danielle Zollickhofer is a multimedia journalist and assistant news director at the Waikato Herald. She joined NZME in 2021 and is based in Hamilton.
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