Message from the Deputy Mayor
Published on July 07, 2023
Kia ora koutou,
On Wednesday 28 June 2023 we gathered for our last Council meeting for the 2022/2023 financial year, and what an exciting year it has been. During the meeting we adopted the Long Term Plan 2021-2041 Amendment (LTPA) and Annual Plan 2023/2024 (AP).
As you know, we've consulted often through the last few months about how we can more fairly distribute rates, what the Future of the Levin Landfill should be, our key water infrastructure and other bits and pieces, including our rates for 2023/2024. Last Wednesday was the culmination of all that consultation, where we finally decided on our rates for the next financial year.
As Elected Members, we know the cost of living pressures on many of our households are severe. At the same time, we acknowledge that Council needs to be financially sensible. I can assure you that we tried to make every effort to cut costs where we could reduce the impact of those rates. We asked the Chief Executive to reduce costs or find savings in several areas and to reduce the targeted capital spend from $41 million to $35 million.
When we went out for consultation, we projected a rate increase of 7.9%, and we landed at 7% for the next financial year commencing on 1 July 2023.
We believe that the 7% increase is a reasonable target. It compares favourably with our neighbours and ensures we can continue delivering good services as you expect. We will continue communicating with you in the next few weeks about how these changes might affect you.
A recent highlight for our community was WEAVE, the first multicultural celebration on Saturday 24 June. It was a fun-filled night. The community was entertained by Chinese Dragon Dances, an African Marimba drumming group, Kiribati and Indian dance performances, a Colombian community group performance and a Latino Jazz band. WEAVE reflects Council's commitment to embracing diversity and ensuring our newcomers feel welcome and at home.
Stay warm and safe.
Deputy Mayor David Allan