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Waikato regional councillors have adopted a 10-year budget that brings with it a 6% rise for ratepayers in the coming financial year.
The decision was driven by a 5.7% increase in baseline costs in the first year of the 2024-2034 long-term plan.
Chief executive Chris McLay said the reality of high inflation meant the regional council was spending more to continue delivering the same services: “Just as we know the cost of living for our ratepayers has gone up.
“But we also know we must keep moving forward to meet the expectations of our communities and the challenges ahead, so we are proposing some new work in areas we believe matter most.”
Chair Pamela Storey believes the council has delivered a draft long-term plan that focuses on resilience, efficiency, cost effectiveness and strategic investment in areas important to the rohe, now and into the future.
“While we have recognised the need for financial prudence to address affordability issues throughout our community, our organisation has statutory obligations that must be met and areas of significant concern and interest to our wider community that need to be responded to,” she said.
“We are proposing to invest more in biodiversity and biosecurity, protecting and preserving taonga species and locations in our region.
“We’ve recognised that one of the most effective ways of doing that is in partnership with other organisations and groups committed to undertaking this work alongside us.
“We have also recognised investment in science to provide an evidence-based foundation for our policies and decision making, and that ensuring well-planned and effective public transport, in all of its forms, is vitally important. Maritime officer numbers have also been bolstered in the proposed budget to ease the load on the team keeping our waterways safe.”
During consultation from April 2 to May 2, the council will also seek feedback on:
n Funding of $500,000 per annum for three years for Te Waka economic development agency
n Ceasing the regional development fund established in 2015
n Picking up the rating of public transport from local councils.
Critical to the region’s resilience were the infrastructure assets and nature-based solutions that help safeguard communities, Pamela said.
A draft infrastructure strategy adopted by councillors makes it clear the way infrastructure is invested in, managed and paid for must fundamentally change.
Over the next 50 years, it is expected over $1 billion would be needed for the replacement of some assets, and a further $1.87 billion on ongoing operating and maintenance costs, and depreciation.
“Simply replacing or repairing assets, as we have done in the past, may no longer be economically or environmentally sustainable, affordable, or workable. So, we are planning for the future for our ever-growing population, the climate resilience of our communities and the productive capacity of our economy and we are not shying away from the hard conversations, such as how we provide for cost-effective, affordable infrastructure,” Pamela said.
Councillors heard that the council’s borrowing profile would see a substantial increase over the term of the long-term plan up to $122 million, mainly driven by a proposed capital works programme for flood protection and drainage. The capital works programme would focus on projects to maintain and upgrade the council’s $1.2 billion worth of infrastructure assets, 15% of which were reported to be in “poor or very poor” condition.
The council agreed to a staff recommendation that $3.8 million surplus from a previous year, be used to fund strategic scoping work.
Key areas of focus included water security management, a review of how infrastructure was funded, future public transport improvements, options for the rehabilitation of Lake Waikare and the Whangamarino Wetland, and development of a spatial plan business case in conjunction with other councils, that will support new public transport investment.
The council also raised bus fares by 20% to help keep general rates down. This meeting was livestreamed.
The links are available at waikatoregion.govt.nz/council-meetings/council
