The plan is focussed on fixing the city’s aging infrastructure, response to climate change, minimising sewage sludge and waste, and cycleway networks.
This plan will see an average 13.5 percent rates increase in the coming year across Wellington or an average 5.5 percent rates increase per year over the ten years of the plan.
Wellington Mayor Andy Foster says this is a transformative Long-term Plan that will see real change in the city within the next 10 years.
“It has been one of the most difficult budgets we have ever had to balance, but I think we now have the right plan for the city.
“We face a significant number of major challenges all at once – COVID-19, water, infrastructure, LGWM, sludge, restoring / replacing several significant buildings – our community has overwhelmingly endorsed the need to invest significantly in our city, noting that it comes at a cost, and it is a complex and ambitious budget.
“We ran a comprehensive community engagement programme and received nearly 2,000 submissions, held 180 oral hearings, three public forums and conducted a representative survey.
“Feedback we received from the public has helped us make our decisions, including selecting the higher investment option for our cycle network, and increasing our investment in central city safety and support for youth, arts and culture in the city.
“From the beginning of this process Council said it did not want to cut services. This plan means we can continue to provide our existing services to our communities with no changes, but we do need to increase fees and user charges.
“Most fees and charges were not increased last year to assist with the COVID-19 recovery, so there is a degree of a catch-up with some.”
Fee and user charges set to increase effective 1 July
Most fees and user charges will increase, effective 1 July. The fee increases are in the following areas:
- Botanic Gardens
- Waterfront Public Spaces
- Sewerage Collection and Disposal Network
- Arts Partnerships
- Swimming Pools
- Sportsfields
- Recreation Centres
- Municipal Golf Course
- Community Centres & Halls
- Burials and Cremations
- Building Control & Facilitation
- Public Health Regulations
- Development Control & Facilitation
- Network-wide control & Management
- Marinas
- Parking
- Waste minimisation, disposal and recycling management
There are several variables that impact on how fees and charges are set. These vary from activity to activity, and generally can be attributed to growing costs associated with services.
The full list of proposed changes to fees and charges can be found on the Council website.