Hurunui Council Proposes 3.31% Rates Rise

Friday, 4 April 2025, 8:42 pm
Article: David Hill - Local Democracy Reporter

North Canterbury ratepayers can expect some of the lowest rate rises in the country.

The Hurunui District Council is proposing an average rate rise of 3.31 percent in its 2025/26 annual plan, after revising its roading programme.

The announcement follows the Waimakariri District Council proposing an average 4.98% rate rise in its draft annual plan.

‘‘It is about understanding the community has gone through a difficult year with drought impacts and that has been taken into consideration in the rate increases,’’ Hurunui Mayor Marie Black said.

Reducing its roading budget and ‘‘more favourable interest rates’’ have allowed the council to reduce its rates burden, she said.

The Hurunui District Council proposed an ambitious roading programme in last year’s 2024/34 Long Term Plan, proposing a 14.49% rate rise for this year.

But it failed to get the funding it needed from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) prompting a rethink.

Council chief executive Hamish Dobbie said the council had boosted its roading programme, but not to the level it had hoped.

‘‘We stepped it up last year and we are continuing with that, but we would have liked to have stepped it up more, which is what our residents have told us they want us to do.

‘‘But we can’t because NZTA didn’t step up.’’

The council met with NZTA last year to raise its concerns about the funding it received in the 2024/27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP).

It had sought a 184% increase, but NZTA director regional relationships James Caygill said this was ‘‘unaffordable’’.

The Hurunui district is a large, rural community with around 13,000 residents, and has around 900km of unsealed roads and 600km of sealed roads.

The council has estimated it needs about $3 million a year to maintain and upgrade its ageing network of 286 bridges.

‘‘We are not the only council facing these issues,’’ Mr Dobbie said

‘‘It is about finding a way to fund these bridges sustainably and that is not through operational maintenance funding.’’

Bridges are expected to last 80 years and Mr Dobbie proposed using debt funding which would be paid off over time, spreading the cost over future ratepayers.

Three waters infrastructure is already debt funded.

Four bridge replacements were included in the Long Term Plan, but the council received just $600,000 towards bridge replacement in the 2024/27 NLTP.

It is planning to replace a bridge at River Road, Waiau, in this year’s annual plan at a cost of around $1m.

The council has also set aside $500,000 in the annual plan for an upgrade of the Waikari Hall, which would be debt funded.

The Hurunui District Council’s draft annual plan will go out for public consultation in May.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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