Councillors adopted the draft 2023/24 annual plan at a council meeting on Wednesday, February 15, but some were wary of a rates rise amid a challenging economic environment.
The proposed rates rise was more than double the 4.6% rates rise projected in the 2021/31 Long Term Plan.
Chairperson Cr Peter Scott said a 10% rates rise was not ideal, but it was necessary to enable the council to deliver on its work programme in a high inflation environment.
“We are mindful of the pressures on ratepayers. We take this seriously and we are up for the challenge.”
“It is great to see the support around the room and we acknowledge 10% is a big rise.
“In our last Long Term Plan we introduced a number of significant initiatives and that is still happening in the work that we are doing.”
Cr Claire McKay said she supported adopting the draft annual plan, but was “uncomfortable” with a 10% rates rise.
She said she looked forward to hearing submissions from the community.
Cr Grant Edge said the council had taken “a socially responsible position” in developing its draft annual plan with a 10% rates rise as “a starting point for community discussion”.
“Right now New Zealand is being impacted by the unprecedented impacts of climate change and I will be interested in what people will think about our response.”
Cr Ian Mackenzie said he supported the intention of the annual plan, but he noted the frustrations of Selwyn farmers having to wait for flood prevention work to be carried out.
“Several rating districts have been badly impacted by flooding and landowners have expressed frustrations at seeing that work being held back, so there will be some momentum for change when we come to do the next Long Term Plan.”
Cr Vicky Southworth said while a 10% rates rise was “going to be tough for our community’’, the council was “chasing our tail” when responding to climate events such as flooding.
“It feels like we need a better mechanism for funding flood prevention work. We need to work closely with our community around how we can involve rates and understanding how targetted rates work.”
Cr Tutehounuke Korako said the council needed to engage with landowners / mana whenua, who were the ratepayers, as well as engaging with Papatipu Runanga.
Cr John Sunckell congratulated staff on keeping the rates rise at 10% in a challenging environment, including the recent flood events and amid 7.3% inflation.
The draft annual plan will be out for public consultation from February 27 to April 3.
* Councillors also passed a motion from Cr Joe Davies asking staff to present a report to the March 22 council meeting on the logistics of livestreaming council meetings to make them more accessible to the general public.
- By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
* Public interest journalism is funded by New Zealand on Air.
