Hastings facing one of highest rises

• Published date: 24 April 2024
• Author: Gary Hamilton-Irvine
• Publication title: Hastings Leader, The

Council is nearing $400 million in debt and anticipates it will reach $700m in debt by 2030, according to the council’s new draft Long Term Plan (LTP)

The draft LTP was released for public feedback yesterday.

The council is also proposing potentially closing Frimley Pool to help save money.

“The cost of recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle has had to be incorporated in council budgets and, despite receiving some funding from central Government, the net cost to Hastings district ratepayers is unprecedented,” council papers stated.

Hastings district was the hardest hit of any region in Hawke’s Bay during Cyclone Gabrielle last February in terms of damage.

The LTP includes proposals for a new cyclone recovery targeted rate, which would be included in ratepayers’ annual rates bill.

“The cyclone recovery programme is forecast to cost an average of $17 million per year over 16 years,” the LTP stated. “If we spread this over all properties, the average cost would be $620 per property a year.”

Hastings District Council chief executive Nigel Bickle said it had been a difficult process.

“This has been the most challenging Long Term Plan we have probably ever had to deal with.”

For an average homeowner, who pays about $3000 in Hastings rates per year, they are now facing a rates bill of $3750 during the next council year (July 2024 to June 2025).

If the 25 per cent rates rise is adopted in the coming months it will be among the highest in the country.

Other councils around the country with...