Gisborne Council have voted for a 6.5 percent rates increase this year. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Gisborne ratepayers have avoided a high rates increase this year with a rise of only 6.5 percent, compared to neighbouring cities.
On Wednesday, the council voted to accept its new annual plan which dictates where council money will be spent over the next financial year.
This 6.5 percent rise is low compared to the increases set by other councils. In Napier, ratepayers are facing an increase of almost 12 percent and in Wairoa, https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/491655/wairoa-district-council-proposes-15-point-4-percent-rates-hike the rise is 15.4 percent.]
Council chief executive Nedine Thatcher Swann said a 6.5 percent increase was at the upper limit of a cap the council had set in its long term plan two years ago, and they were committed to staying within that.
There was $65m for roading emergency works, $26.4m for clean-up and disposal of sediment and debris on land and in waterways and $6.9m to support clean-up for commercial properties, on top of what had already been provided.
A new forestry taskforce would be set up to identify locations where forestry debris is at risk of being moved in future storms, along with an expansion of the land management team to support increased regulation in the area, and in freshwater.
Thatcher Swann said the council would need help from the government to pay for ongoing infrastructure repairs and debris removal costs.
"Income from rates alone is not enough to support the challenges that our region faces," she said. "Government funding will be critical to implement the work we need to achieve over the next 12 months."
Thatcher Swann said projects previously set for delivery would still go ahead as promised, including the Kiwa Pools (funded by $40m from the government), wastewater treatment plant upgrades, and township upgrades at Te Puia Springs, Waipiro Bay and Te Karaka.
The council received only 15 submissions when consulting on its annual plan. Most were from individuals, with one each from Forest and Bird, and Federated Farmers.
Three individual submissions asked for upgrades to be made to the Ormond township, and six asked for better or additional active transport options, such as cycleways.