Council carefully considering costs as LTP prepared

All Council spending is being carefully scrutinised by Hastings District Council as the district’s Long-term Plan (LTP) is prepared. 

The plan sets the infrastructure work programmes and budget spend for the next year and forecasts the next nine years.

The rates for the next financial year (July 2024-June 2025) will be set based on the plan. 

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said Council is working hard to address priorities and keep costs down as much as possible.  

“These are very tough financial times. There is no doubt that, like every other council, we are in very difficult times, with huge costs from high interest rates, increased cost of materials for things like pipes and asphalt, higher insurance premiums, and recovering from Cyclone Gabrielle. 

“We have tasked a Council working party to identify where we can make a material difference to the budget while still doing everything we need to do – to maintain and renew critical infrastructure.” 

Work on the plan to date has included public workshops and on-line feedback channels, which have provided clear feedback on the need to ‘stick to the basics’. 

Those include managing three waters, maintaining a quality roading network, rubbish and recycling as well as repairing and replacing cyclone damaged roads and bridges.

Chair of the LTP Working Party councillor Michael Fowler said the working party is considering Council’s infrastructure programme; both priorities and timelines. 

“With hugely increased costs, we must very carefully cut our cloth. In Hastings we have invested heavily in infrastructure over the years, particularly on drinking water and on the services that enable residential and commercial growth, but there is still a great deal that needs to be addressed,” he said.  

Public input into the Long-Term Plan will be called for in late April, with Council required to finalise the plan prior to the end of the financial year on June 30. 

15 March 2024

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