Rates affordability Debate
Economic Benefits - Costs
Option 3
Residents supporting Option 3 emphasize the need for the council to prioritize essential services and infrastructure while cutting back on non-essential expenditures such as arts, entertainment, and external business subsidies. They advocate for more stringent financial oversight, including a comprehensive review of council spending, staff reductions, and more competitive tendering processes to ensure cost-effectiveness. Additionally, there is a strong call for the council to focus on reducing the financial burden on ratepayers, particularly in light of the current cost of living pressures, by managing budget increases strictly within inflation rates and reconsidering the distribution of charges like the storm recovery levy.
Table of comments:
| Point No | Comment |
|---|---|
| 28.1 | Staff numbers need to be reduced, with a 15% pay cut for staff and councillors. |
| 77.1 | Make council works more efficient, stop workers standing around leaning on shovels and only provide services that are absolutely necessary |
| 81.1 | The cost of living is far to high to be able to afford much at all. Contractors need to be held accountable for their budgets and increases! |
| 153.1 | There has been a large amount of unnecessary work carried out by the council over the last few years. There needs to be a way of monitoring this more effectively, as currently the way the council spends money is not in the best interests of the majority of Nelson residents. |
| 172.1 | Big service cuts need to be made only to specific areas - 'nice-to-haves' -e.g. cycleways, entertainment, arts, consultants; not to essentials such as roading, housing. |
| 529.1 | I would like to see my rates spent on infrastructure ahead of anything else! |
| 541.1 | Slash non necessary expenditure such as spending 1.7m on an arts hub,subsidising outside businesses such as N Z cricket to operate in Nelson,running concerts which should be run by promoters not paid for by ratepayers |
| 610.1 | I would like to see the role of the Council return to basics of infrastructure spending first. To let businesses promote themselves rather than the rate payers promote businesses through their rates |
| 688.1 | Looking at our estimated rates online for the following year, which includes the $300. It would mean a 16.6% increase. Its almost becoming unaffordable. In the middle of the cost of living crises you are proposing the biggest increase. Just like we all having reduce our wants, the council should be doing the same. |
| 828.1 | Option 3 is my preferred option, not necessarily cutting back work programs, as those that you quote but withdrawing some of the more "major" projects that cost in the millions which I will cover later in the appropriate section You have to cut down somewhere as there are a lot of us residents who may not necessarily be struggling but are finding it difficult to get by. (and what about the "Postponement of rates on Maori Freehold land) What is this all about ?? |
| 1072.1 | the comercial ratepayers ar beg charged too much at 22.6% of the total rates take. The CBD rates at around 3 times the residential rate is far to high particularly as it was primarily set to pay for parking which is getting taken away over timeThere should be a reduction for those properties affected by the Market in Montgomery Square.THE FLOOD RECOVERY LEVEY SHOULD ONLY BE APPLIED TO THE RESIDENTIAL RATEPAYERS. NOT COMERCIAL. |
| 1093.1 | Lets keep the current library. It works. Place a hold on all building projects. There are more empty buildings around Nelson with a drop in retail, can we not utilize these in some way if there is a need? |
| 1181.1 | I believe councils should focus on code infrastructure services and work within inflation rate increases only |
| 1255.1 | Start with a full open and transparent review of all council spending and staff numbers. |
| 1257.1 | Everyone wants value for money. inflation is hitting hard, in hard times the focus must remain on core services versus the nice to haves on the peripheral of council responsibilities. That said granted Nelson/Tasman region is growing at a rapid rate of knots, with ageing infrastructure, more cost for infrastructure upgrades, roading, schools etc onto the developers not the rate payer to fix long after the developer exited and the problems arise . |
| 1259.1 | I feel that it is extremely unfair and unjustified to add the additional $300 per year for the next 10 years for storm recovery charges on us. The rates are already going up and so are the other expenses for us like insurance, mortgage, food prices, etc. whereas the salaries have not increased. Given the weather changes and chances of similar rain events in the future, would mean adding these recovery charges every time such an event happens which would be unfair. The funding for such weather events should come from the Central Government as is the norm in most other countries. On the other hand, the Council must cut wasteful expenditures like flower baskets in the city and spending over $100,000 per year on these. These are not essential at this stage and the Council must look at doing away with these expenses whilst there are much more important issues and expenses to deal with. Furthermore, the council should look at earning revenue from other sources like advertising, etc. to supplement the income |
| 1329.1 | We have to live within our means effectively you are taking out loans to keep lights on. |
| 1332.1 | I would like a review of the spending, identify wastefulness and cut out those expenses |
| 1373.1 | NCC Councillors are like Board of Directors and are responsible for balancing expenditure with income and the measure of efficiency is by holding rates down for its stakeholders (the Ratepayer )A quote I use.It is much easier to become distracted by unimportant matters than it is to deal with important ones. Important matters require effort, time and thought . If you don't focus on the right issues with the right order of priority you end when the original issue you were meant to fix reaches breaking point . All about over spending .Council needs to cut cost by being more aggressive on supply of services and more tendering versus preferred contactors . Tender everything . Look closely at its costing from Nelmac. Look at the cost of Traffic Management and approach Govt to review the ridiculous requirements. Room does not allow me to list . Council needs to concentrate on the 4 main services of providing water, wastewater, stormwater and roads .Long term plans give staff a false guide as to what they can spend not concentrating on how they can save it or do without .The excuse is its in the plan .I have had this many times quoted to me . No incentive to reduce cost . |
| 1373.1 | NCC Councillors are like Board of Directors and are responsible for balancing expenditure with income and the measure of efficiency is by holding rates down for its stakeholders (the Ratepayer )A quote I use.It is much easier to become distracted by unimportant matters than it is to deal with important ones. Important matters require effort, time and thought . If you don't focus on the right issues with the right order of priority you end when the original issue you were meant to fix reaches breaking point . All about over spending .Council needs to cut cost by being more aggressive on supply of services and more tendering versus preferred contactors . Tender everything . Look closely at its costing from Nelmac. Look at the cost of Traffic Management and approach Govt to review the ridiculous requirements. Room does not allow me to list . Council needs to concentrate on the 4 main services of providing water, wastewater, stormwater and roads .Long term plans give staff a false guide as to what they can spend not concentrating on how they can save it or do without .The excuse is its in the plan .I have had this many times quoted to me . No incentive to reduce cost . |