Kia Ora,

There has been plenty happening at Council, with some important decisions and some significant work underway.

The Government’s announcement of a rates cap this week should come as no surprise. It has been well signalled for some time, and the legislation introduced to Parliament proposes an initial target range of 2 to 4 per cent for annual rates increases, with the system becoming fully binding from 2029.

Whatever your view of rates capping, there is no doubt it will require councils across the country to be more financially disciplined and communities to adjust their expectations on what a council delivers. There is only so much money available, and if there is a limit on how much revenue can be raised through rates, then councils will have to make choices about what we do, what we delay and what we stop doing.

Some of those choices will disappoint people. That is simply the reality of the changes in the local government environment that central government is making. Our job is to make sure we are spending your money carefully, getting the basics right and being clear with our community about the trade-offs involved.

This council already has a strategic focus on affordability, so that is also very much the approach we are taking with our Long Term Plan, which we’re legally required to complete every three years. Even though potential rate capping won’t be required until 2029, we’re not using that as an excuse to delay tightening our belts. Work on this is progressing well, and the feedback we received through the Budget Challenge has been particularly useful in helping us understand what matters to people across the district.

We will be doing some further engagement shortly as we refine some of our thinking, so keep an eye out for opportunities to have your say. I have always believed that the best decisions are developed with our communities, rather than simply presented to them as a done deal. That becomes even more important when the choices are difficult.

There was also a great outcome last week for the Dannevirke Deer Park. Council unanimously supported a community-led proposal that gives the park an opportunity to remain open under the management of Our Place Dannevirke.

This is a really good example of what can happen when Council and the community work together to find a practical solution. The original decision to decommission the park was made for some very real reasons, including animal welfare, infrastructure and resourcing challenges. But when the community came forward with a credible alternative proposal, fuelled by volunteers, it was right that we took the time to consider it.

There is still work to do before the new arrangement is finalised, but the decision gives the Deer Park a future while still significantly reducing the ongoing financial impacts on ratepayers. I know that will mean a lot to the Dannevirke and wider Tararua District community.

It also reinforces something I believe strongly - when we make decisions, we need to listen, and when there is a better way forward, we should be prepared to change course and work with our communities to make it happen.

Ngā mihi nui, many thanks.

Scott Gilmore – Mayor.