Rates affordability Debate

Community Wellbeing - Safety and Security

Option 2

Residents supporting Option 2 emphasize the critical need to continue funding and maintaining essential infrastructure, particularly water and wastewater systems, to ensure community safety and security. They acknowledge the financial pressures due to inflation and other economic factors but stress the importance of keeping rate increases moderate while still providing necessary services. Concerns are also raised about the council's current strategies on resilience and managed retreat, highlighting the need for a more strategic approach to address environmental risks and their impact on community wellbeing.

Table of comments:

Point No	Comment
147.1	on the proviso that we do not stop investing and maintaining our infrastructure, particularly water
249.1	We need to prioritise funding critical infrastructure. Cuts should be made to the nice to have. Water and wastewater are not 'nice to haves' they are critical and must be properly funded.
353.1	Rates have to be affordable and with inflation, higher mortgages and insurance its impt to keep rates increases at medium level whilst still providing essential services
978.1	Frequency of Extreme Weather Events (Climate change induced) means Council will have greater costs - building resilience, adaptation and also in reparation. Further rates increases will be necessary, but we're aware of many doing it hard. If it could be means tested, we'd support Option 1!.
1345.1	I question the proposal to allocate $24 million to the Maitai development. The exposure to environmental risk and impacts on infrastructure through Nile Street makes that proposal untenable and a negative impact on community wellbeing.  I do not support the $300 levy for storm damage. This needs a strategic approach that looks beyond the on event the levy supposedly addresses.
1433.1	Rates affordabilityTBCA supports Option 2 – medium service cuts and medium rates increases. Tahunanui property owners have absorbed significant rates increases in recent years. This comes on top of adverse natural processes affecting much of the Tahunanui area such as erosion, slope instability, inundation and sea level rise. This has affected LIM reports and insurance, leaving landowners concerned about Council’s seeming lack of action on resilience and clarity around the way “managed retreat” will affect the value of their properties.