Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe says infrastructure has had "far greater cost increases than the supermarket shelf". Photo / NZME
Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe says infrastructure has had "far greater cost increases than the supermarket shelf". Photo / NZME
Whanganui District Council’s proposed 5.8% average rates rise will soon be up for public scrutiny.
Its draft Annual Plan consultation document was adopted at a meeting on Thursday.
Councillor Rob Vinsen said he wanted a rise of between 3% and 4%, in line with inflation.
But becauseof costs associated with the $11 million loss at the NZ Commercial Pilot Academy, a 4% to 5% rate increase would be “responsible and achievable”, he said.
Other “hot topics” include a door charge at the Sarjeant Gallery for out-of-town visitors and removing $750,000 in loan repayments.
At an extraordinary strategy and policy meeting on March 19, the majority of councillors voted against the door charge and pool closure, and for the loan repayment reduction.
Council policy manager David Gurney told the Chronicle that councillors’ decisions on March 19 provided clarity about what to include in draft budgets and the consultation document.
They were necessary for the council to calculate the proposed rates increase, he said.
“Final decisions will ultimately be made when the council adopts its Annual Plan in June.
“The Sarjeant Gallery was slightly different: the decision was made to retain the status quo – no door charge – but elected members asked that this issue be covered as a hot topic.”
Councillor Ross Fallen encouraged people to submit to the consultation process.
“We provide so many ways for our community to engage with us.
“Flood us with your representation, flood us with your views, whatever they are. My vote is not final until June.”
The Annual Plan must be signed off by July 1, after deliberations.
Councillor Glenda Brown said the council’s Long-Term Plan for 2024-34 forecast a 6.6% rates increase for 2026-27, and councillors were “staring down the barrel” of a 7.7% increase at one stage of the Annual Plan process.
“We all want to see the rates reduced. Please engage with us during this process, and tell us your views.”
In favour of the consultation document were Tripe, deputy mayor Michael Law, and councillors Brown, Fallen, Josh Chandulal-Mackay, Charlotte Melser, Julie Herewini, Geoff Hipango and Glenda Brown.
Vinsen, Philippa Baker-Hogan and Mike Hos were against, with Kate Joblin absent.
Public consultation runs from March 31 to May 3.
Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present, his focus is local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.
