Keeping Hastings Affordable
The goal: A council that balances today’s costs with tomorrow’s needs - keeping rates in check without mortgaging our future.
How we’ll make it happen…
Right now, too many people are feeling the squeeze. Groceries, power, insurance, petrol - everything’s going up. And rates are adding to that pressure.
Whether it’s at the supermarket checkout, on the sidelines, or catching up at community meetings, I’ve had countless conversations with people worried about how they’ll keep up.
As Mayor, I’ll lead a council that respects every ratepayer dollar. That means focusing on the essentials, cutting waste, and being up front about where your money is going, and why. To achieve this, we will…
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Focus on outcomes, not extras
Not everything council could do is something it should do.
As Mayor, I’ll lead a council that focuses on outcomes, not extras.
That means prioritising the essentials, enabling others where they can deliver better, and introducing community impact statements so every new dollar spent is justified by real benefits.
It’s about knowing what delivers real value: challenging what doesn’t, and protecting what does.
When you see a new spend, you should know: what is it solving, who benefits, and what happens if we don’t do it?
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Reduce debt in a realistic and responsible way
Council debt has risen sharply - first from essential infrastructure like water upgrades and earthquake strengthening, and then from Cyclone Gabrielle recovery. We can’t change the past, but we can set a smarter course forward. As Mayor, I’ll ensure we:
Review all council-owned assets to understand which are delivering value, and where opportunities exist to lease, share, partner, or divest without compromising community needs.
Benchmark and review contracts to find savings and ensure ratepayer money works harder
Set clearer priorities so we’re not stretching resources across too many fronts
I’ll involve the community every step of the way.
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Grow revenue fairly and transparently
Affordability isn’t just about cuts, it’s also about how we raise revenue.
We’ll review fees and charges to ensure fairness and consistency, explore smarter partnerships with private enterprise, and make sure every council-owned asset pulls its weight.
It’s about using what we’ve got wisely - not just reaching for more. As Mayor, I’ll:
Ensure growth pays for growth, backing the government’s direction to strengthen development contributions
Align fees with real costs, especially in areas like facility bookings and commercial activities
Champion open reporting so you can clearly see where your money is going.
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Protect past investment and avoid future blowouts
Slashing spending sounds simple, until buildings start leaking, roads crumble, or businesses stop investing.
As Mayor, I’ll safeguard the momentum we’ve built - protecting investments like our revitalised city centre, green spaces, and community facilities.
We’ll make smarter use of what we already have, and keep maintenance on track so small issues don’t become big repairs.
It’s not just about cost, it’s about confidence.
A council that looks after its assets protects community well being, prevents future blowouts, and builds trust in long-term planning.
Real Results for Affordability…
Affordability isn’t just a campaign slogan - it’s work I’ve already been doing around the council table.
In 2023, Cyclone Gabrielle caused over $1 billion in damage across our district. Through tough negotiations with central government, we reduced our local share of the recovery to $230 million to be funded over 16 years - still a massive burden for our community.
At the same time, Council was already grappling with rising costs from inflation, insurance hikes, and major infrastructure projects we’d committed to in previous years - like safe drinking water, earthquake-strengthening, and essential city upgrades.
So when we first drafted our 10-year financial plan, the initial rates increase came in at 44%.
Some have asked why Council can’t just keep rates to inflation…
Unlike households, our biggest costs aren’t groceries - they’re roads, bridges, and water pipes.
Since 2021:
Building a bridge costs up to 40% more
Road resurfacing is up 30%
Insurance and materials have risen 28%
That’s the inflation Councils face - not the 2.7% you hear on the news for households.
Even so, we knew 44% wasn’t sustainable, and we had to act.
I joined a small working group that went line-by-line through budgets, asking tough questions. With staff and a few councillors, we found $2.7 million is operational savings and over $50 million in cuts and deferrals - bringing the proposed increase down to 25%.
To put that in perspective:
Running all four Hastings libraries costs about $7 million a year.
Every aquatic facility (including Splash Planet) costs about $10 million a year.
$50 million is more than three years of running every pool and every library in the district.
After community feedback, we made further changes - reducing to a 19% increase in Year 1, while cushioning the impact by temporarily running an unbalanced budget (where Council temporarily borrows for operations). That was a hard call, but it helped avoid deeper cuts or service losses.
Action - not just words…
As Chair of the Strategy and Recovery Committee, I’ve already led work to:
Launch a full asset review – from senior housing to Splash Planet to the airport – to ensure our investments still make sense.
Audit council contracts to make sure we’re getting real value for money.
Explore new revenue streams, including fair user charges and sponsorship of public spaces.
Create better monitoring, so we can track what’s working and hold ourselves to account.
I also helped deliver:
A new Financial Strategy that holds future councils to a higher standard of transparency and long-term thinking.
These aren’t slogans – they’re real structural changes. And they helped Hastings retain an A+ credit rating, even under extreme financial pressure.
That rating matters. It means council can borrow at lower interest rates – saving the community money, every year, on every major project.
