Marlborough District Council. Photo: Supplied/ Marlborough District Council
Marlborough residents will see an eight percent rates rise in the next year.
Mayor Nadine Taylor said it was a relatively high rates increase, at a time when households were facing cost of living pressures.
The Marlborough District Council adopted its 2023-24 Annual Plan today, with a rates increase of 7.97 percent.
Taylor said she was pleased that levels of service across the region's community facilities and key services would be maintained with no cuts.
The council had reviewed its user pays fees and reduced expenditure where possible ahead of the consultation.
Marlborough mayor Nadine Taylor. Photo: Marlborough District Council
"To reduce the impact on ratepayers we have increased resource consenting, environmental health and building control fees. I believe this is a fairer way of spreading costs and it will save ratepayers over $1 million."
The rates increase includes one-off grant funding of $31,462 for the Marlborough Stadium Trust and a $100,000 funding increase for the Marlborough Art Gallery to improve services to the community.
There were 77 submissions on the council's 2023-24 Annual Plan consultation document - a number will be referred to the relevant committee, while those about community projects will be advised to apply to the Community Grants Scheme.
Taylor said many of the submissions referenced the condition of local community halls.
Council will undertake a stocktake of halls throughout Marlborough to determine the scale and priority of work required, as part of a strategic review of these important community assets.
The new rates will come into effect on 1 July.