Latest news with #LTP
Otago Daily Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Brace for another big rates rise: Selwyn District Council 'not listening to ratepayers'
More pain is on the way for ratepayers as the Selwyn District Council looks set to lock in a 14.2% average rise. For a house valued at $847,000, the rates bill will be $4723. The rise follows a 14.9% average rise in the last financial year and means the same household is paying $1153 more than they were two years ago. Selwyn's increase is at least double and triple more than its nearest neighbours – Ashburton (7.3%), Christchurch (6.77%), and Waimakariri (4.98%). Selwyn is the fastest growing district in the country. Council executive director of people, culture and capability Steve Gibling said the growth has an impact on costs. "It does create some challenges to how we keep up with our essential infrastructure, how we keep providing the services for our new residents, how we get in front of that growth, how we maintain the growth, and then how we respond with a range of services our community expects us to provide,' he said. Compared to other fast-growing areas, Selwyn has the highest rise. Queenstown has a forecast rates rise of 13.5%, while Tauranga has a forecast rise of 12%. Controversially, councillors voted eight to two in November not to have a public consultation for this year's annual plan. At the time, council staff recommended consultation was not needed because there were no significant changes to what had been agreed to in the 2024-34 Long Term Plan (LTP), and having a consultation would slow down planned work. Councillors had until Friday to provide feedback before it is due to be signed off on June 18. There was disappointment about the rates rise and the lack of community consultation from some residents' groups. Darfield Residents Association chair Harvey Polglase said people no longer had faith in the council. "They are not listening to the ratepayers in any shape or form, and it has become farcical,' Polgase said. Lincoln Community and Residents Association chair Lindsay Wilson said no consultation meant there was a lack of transparency. 'Not impressive behaviour (by the council) to be fair,' Wilson said. Rolleston Residents Association chair Mark Alexander said a $27m reduction in funding from the NZ Transport Agency in September was a big enough change to have a consultation. It meant a reshuffle and the cancellation of some projects to make up the deficit. "That significant amount of funding should have gone back to the community for consultation as to whether it was spent on projects or simply not spent,' Alexander said. The council deemed the change not significant enough to trigger a consultation, as part of its November decision. Mayor Sam Broughton said he did not want to hold rates down lower than they needed to keep up with the infrastructure required. 'My conscience won't let me do that for our community,' he has previously told Selwyn Times. He also backed the decision not to consult, saying it the council could get on and deliver the projects supported in the LTP. In 2025/26, the council has forecast it will spend 80% of its $145.8m capital expenditure delivering core services such as roading, water and waste. Construction will start on Leeston's new library and service centre, Whata Rau, in March and the continuation of the Lincoln town centre project.
Scoop
05-06-2025
- General
- Scoop
A Plan To Restore Biodiversity On Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill
Press Release – Queenstown Lakes District Council QLDC General Manager Community & Services Ken Bailey said that its important to understand if the community support the proposed plan for this well-loved reserve, which is part of a wider plan to protect our districts landscapes and native biodiversity. Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) is encouraging the community to share their thoughts on a draft Forestry Management Plan (FMP) for Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill Reserve which is now open for consultation. The draft plan proposes to remove all wilding tree species on the reserve and replant the site with a mixed native/exotic forest and scrub/tussock grassland. QLDC General Manager Community & Services Ken Bailey said that it's important to understand if the community support the proposed plan for this well-loved reserve, which is part of a wider plan to protect our district's landscapes and native biodiversity. 'The draft FMP guides the staged removal of invasive wilding trees and supports the restoration of a healthy, diverse forest. It assesses the current tree cover and site conditions, and outlines options for harvesting wilding trees and the new plants that will replace them,' said Mr Bailey. 'The forestry plan developed in 2006 for Ben Lomond and Queenstown Hill is now outdated and no longer fit-for-purpose, so the Parks team have prepared a new plan which applies solely to Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill.' Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill Reserve has become progressively dominated by wilding conifers over the past 60+ years. These trees are an invasive pest species, acting as a seed source and facilitating their spread elsewhere in the Whakatipu basin. Parks Planning Manager Briana Pringle said that if left uncontrolled, wilding conifers impact the surrounding environment through loss of biodiversity, degradation of soil quality, increased risk of seed spread, changes to landscape, and increased risk of wildfire. 'The draft plan proposes a staged replanting programme in three zones comprising of native trees, mixed native and exotic trees, and grey tussock and shrubland species,' said Ms Pringle. 'Restoring the central area of the reserve with a mixture of native and exotic species will enhance ecological diversity and ensure that much of the aesthetic is retained. Planting non-invasive exotics like redwood, cedar, elm and ash will ensure that canopy cover is achieved more quickly, which in turn will minimise the risk of erosion and land instability,' she said. The removal of wilding conifers and the replanting on reserve land will affect recreational experiences, trails, the visual landscape, neighbouring properties, and natural hazards; all while reducing wildfire risk and enhancing biodiversity. 'While there's no funding currently in the QLDC Long Term Plan (LTP) 2024-2034 to implement the draft FMP, it's important that we have an agreed plan in place that reflects the community's long-term vision and takes into account the impacts of the proposed harvest and replanting of the site, said,' Mr Bailey. 'Ultimately the draft plan aims to help restore biodiversity and ecology in the Whakatipu basin, enhance how people use this space, and ensure it flourishes for future generations to enjoy. This aligns strongly with Council's commitment in its draft Climate and Biodiversity Plan 2025-2028', he said. The draft Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill FMP, a range of supporting material and a submission form are available to view online at and in person at QLDC's offices and library at 10 Gorge Road. QLDC's Parks team will also be hosting three community drop-in sessions in June in Queenstown and Frankton for those keen to discuss the draft plan. Submissions close on Sunday 6 July. Once they've been collated and reviewed and people have had the opportunity to speak at a public hearing on 21 July, all submissions will be considered by the hearing panel and used to make final changes to the draft FMP. This will then be presented to Full Council for adoption on 4 September.
Scoop
05-06-2025
- General
- Scoop
A Plan To Restore Biodiversity On Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill
Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) is encouraging the community to share their thoughts on a draft Forestry Management Plan (FMP) for Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill Reserve which is now open for consultation. The draft plan proposes to remove all wilding tree species on the reserve and replant the site with a mixed native/exotic forest and scrub/tussock grassland. QLDC General Manager Community & Services Ken Bailey said that it's important to understand if the community support the proposed plan for this well-loved reserve, which is part of a wider plan to protect our district's landscapes and native biodiversity. 'The draft FMP guides the staged removal of invasive wilding trees and supports the restoration of a healthy, diverse forest. It assesses the current tree cover and site conditions, and outlines options for harvesting wilding trees and the new plants that will replace them,' said Mr Bailey. 'The forestry plan developed in 2006 for Ben Lomond and Queenstown Hill is now outdated and no longer fit-for-purpose, so the Parks team have prepared a new plan which applies solely to Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill.' Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill Reserve has become progressively dominated by wilding conifers over the past 60+ years. These trees are an invasive pest species, acting as a seed source and facilitating their spread elsewhere in the Whakatipu basin. Parks Planning Manager Briana Pringle said that if left uncontrolled, wilding conifers impact the surrounding environment through loss of biodiversity, degradation of soil quality, increased risk of seed spread, changes to landscape, and increased risk of wildfire. "The draft plan proposes a staged replanting programme in three zones comprising of native trees, mixed native and exotic trees, and grey tussock and shrubland species,' said Ms Pringle. 'Restoring the central area of the reserve with a mixture of native and exotic species will enhance ecological diversity and ensure that much of the aesthetic is retained. Planting non-invasive exotics like redwood, cedar, elm and ash will ensure that canopy cover is achieved more quickly, which in turn will minimise the risk of erosion and land instability,' she said. The removal of wilding conifers and the replanting on reserve land will affect recreational experiences, trails, the visual landscape, neighbouring properties, and natural hazards; all while reducing wildfire risk and enhancing biodiversity. 'While there's no funding currently in the QLDC Long Term Plan (LTP) 2024-2034 to implement the draft FMP, it's important that we have an agreed plan in place that reflects the community's long-term vision and takes into account the impacts of the proposed harvest and replanting of the site, said,' Mr Bailey. 'Ultimately the draft plan aims to help restore biodiversity and ecology in the Whakatipu basin, enhance how people use this space, and ensure it flourishes for future generations to enjoy. This aligns strongly with Council's commitment in its draft Climate and Biodiversity Plan 2025-2028', he said. The draft Te Tapunui Queenstown Hill FMP, a range of supporting material and a submission form are available to view online at and in person at QLDC's offices and library at 10 Gorge Road. QLDC's Parks team will also be hosting three community drop-in sessions in June in Queenstown and Frankton for those keen to discuss the draft plan. Submissions close on Sunday 6 July. Once they've been collated and reviewed and people have had the opportunity to speak at a public hearing on 21 July, all submissions will be considered by the hearing panel and used to make final changes to the draft FMP. This will then be presented to Full Council for adoption on 4 September.
Scoop
04-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Consultation Underway On Proposed Model For Future Delivery Of Water Services
Press Release – Queenstown Lakes District Council QLDC Property & Infrastructure General Manager, Tony Avery said Council had carefully assessed a range of different models available, as part of central governments Local Water Done Well plan to address Aotearoa New Zealands water infrastructure … Consultation on Queenstown Lakes District Council's (QLDC) proposal to establish a Water Services Council Controlled Organisation (WSCCO) for the future delivery of water services in the district is now underway, as required by the Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Act 2024 (WSPA Act). The proposal is to establish a Council Controlled Organisation specifically created to manage and deliver drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services in the future. QLDC Property & Infrastructure General Manager, Tony Avery said Council had carefully assessed a range of different models available, as part of central government's Local Water Done Well plan to address Aotearoa New Zealand's water infrastructure challenges. 'As previously shared, we wanted to ensure the model put before the public considered financial implications for consumers amongst several other factors, given the QLDC Long Term Plan (LTP) 2024-2034 is already projecting costs to increase significantly,' said Mr Avery. 'We're now encouraging residents of the Queenstown Lakes District to get involved, carefully read through the consultation document and assessments we've undertaken on the matter, and give us feedback.' The proposed WSCCO would be fully owned by QLDC, but the organisation would be governed by its own independent specialist board and management. QLDC would be the only shareholder and would appoint board members based on the skills and experience needed for proper governance of the new organisation. Intended legislation by central government would prevent any WSCCO from being privatised which means that the proposed WSCCO would remain wholly owned by QLDC, and the organisation would not be able to pay a dividend. Council would set the organisation's strategic priorities and establish measures to ensure it performs to expectations, while the Commerce Commission would use various regulatory tools to ensure water charges are fair, cost-reflective, and transparent. The other shortlisted option evaluated was for QLDC to continue to deliver water services in-house, recognising that changes would need to be made to enable Council to respond to the new regulatory environment if such a model was progressed with. An in-house model would be similarly subject to the Commerce Commission regulatory requirements. In addition to cost to households, the WSCCO and the in-house model were assessed on their ability to attract and retain staff, adapt to changing requirements, maximise value and minimise waste, effectively and efficiently manage water services, and deliver to community priorities. Mr Avery said public feedback was imperative to informing Council's decision on the best option to deliver high quality, resilient, sustainable, and reliable water services in the future. 'Drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater services all cost the ratepayer a significant amount of money, and under all scenarios, including in Council's current Long-Term Plan, water charges are projected to increase substantially,' said Mr Avery. 'I would urge all residents to take the time to understand Council's proposal and the alternative, what this would mean for the future, and to have a say before feedback closes on Sunday 29 June 2025.' A detailed consultation document on QLDC's proposed future water services delivery model and a feedback form are available online at QLDC Councillors agreed to consultation on the proposal to establish a WSCCO at the Full Council meeting on Thursday 29 May 2025.
Otago Daily Times
01-06-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Debt-funded grants wrong, councillor says
Tweaking rules to enable theatre venues not owned by the Dunedin City Council to be developed with council debt might be "clever", but also wrong, a councillor says. Cr Bill Acklin was not impressed with his colleagues when they changed the council's revenue and financing policy to enable a particular type of grant to be funded through borrowing, rather than rates. The change, approved last week, meant debt-funded grants could be provided to community organisations constructing or upgrading a building. This made it easier for the council to signal in its 2025-34 long-term plan (LTP) political will existed for spending $17.1 million on theatre space and it intended such grants to apply to redevelopment of the Playhouse Theatre and Athenaeum building, and potentially a new venue suitable for professional theatre. "To fund professional sectors using debt is not what council's ability to borrow is for," Cr Acklin said. He had stayed out of debates about theatre space because of a perceived conflict of interest but expressed thoughts after voting had occurred. Using debt for grants was "very clever", he said disapprovingly. Later in the meeting he said he believed it to be wrong. However, he was happy to see support for the Playhouse, which has a strong children's programme. Another councillor who did not take part in discussions, Lee Vandervis, said changing council policy "so that we can reclassify even more spending as capital" was shameless. He was absent because of hip surgery. He slammed colleagues for their "election-year splurge" on debt after the council added $96.9m of borrowing to the LTP during four days of discussion. Cr Sophie Barker said the debt-funded grants issue was "a useful exploration of how to support a non-council organisation to deliver a project in a building that isn't council-owned". "Otherwise, it would have gone directly on rates — this way it's able to be funded over a longer period of time as an 'intergenerational asset'. "There's a lot of checks and balances around the Playhouse and Athenaeum resolutions that won't allow any funds to be released by council until stringent conditions are met." Council debt is projected to rise by roughly $500m in the next nine years to $1.2 billion in 2034. Much of it is aimed at replacing or upgrading key Three Waters assets and transport infrastructure. The council included $17.1m in its 2021-31 LTP for development of theatre space, but removal of the allocation from draft budgets for its 2025-34 plan was controversial. Reinstating the money was one call last week that added to projected debt. Inclusion of some transport projects intended to reduce carbon emissions and deciding to replace the Edgar Centre roof were others. The council made one move late in deliberations to avoid adding to debt. It chose to start running balanced budgets from the first year of the LTP — a year earlier than had been envisaged — rather than posting another deficit. The council had looked as if it was headed for a rates increase of 10.1% for 2025-26, but having a balanced budget pushed the rates rise to 10.7%.
