Through the basics, transparency, and community voice.
Many residents are surprised to learn what their rates fund. When residents understand where their rates money goes, it becomes clear that most of what we do isn’t optional. We’re doing the work that keeps Napier running.
Rates are the biggest contribution households make to our city, so it’s important that people understand where their money goes. It starts with recognising that Napier’s rates are less about bureaucracy and more about the machinery that keeps the city liveable. It’s everything from rubbish and recycling to stormwater and wastewater, emergency management, roads and cemeteries.
Focusing on the basics isn’t glamorous, but it’s essential. I want Napier to be a city with safe roads, dependable water services, resilient infrastructure and tidy public spaces. These form the backbone of a well-run city. They are what people rely on every day, often without thinking about them, until something goes wrong. It’s why I believe focusing on core services is so important.
Rates also pay for the places that support our residents’ wellbeing: our gardens, parks, libraries and pools. These are the spaces where communities form. They’re where kids learn to swim, where book clubs meet and where families picnic on a Sunday afternoon. They don’t run and get maintained on goodwill; they cost money.
When a community has reliable infrastructure, safe public spaces, well maintained amenities, and a council that manages its finances responsibly, everything else becomes possible. Growth becomes easier, investment becomes more attractive and residents feel their city is heading in the right direction.
While there are lots of things that rates can be spent on, I’ve heard that people want rates kept as low as possible. I think that’s reasonable. Households are facing rising costs, and so we must be disciplined in our spending. The challenge is balancing affordability with the need to maintain and improve essential services. Cutting too deeply can create bigger problems down the track, while spending freely puts too much pressure on ratepayers. My goal is to find the middle ground: smart investment in the essentials, delivered with transparency and accountability.
Here’s why I want to have this conversation: our Annual Plan consultation is open. The Annual Plan outlines what Council intends to deliver over the next financial year, how much it will cost, and how those costs will be funded. It’s a chance for the community to understand our priorities for next year and provide feedback on what matters most. A key proposal within the consultation is changing how we recover costs for our roading network. This is a significant change to how we calculate rates and we’d like to know what you think.
So, take a moment to read about our proposals on sayitnapier.nz. Share your thoughts and offer ideas. Your voice genuinely helps us to know what is important to you.
You can find out more about our projects and programmes at our upcoming Open House event. Teams from across Council will be at the Napier Municipal Theatre foyer on Monday 20 April from 5:30pm to 7pm.
Next year we’ll have the opportunity to take a more thorough look across all budgets, plans and programmes, as we prepare our Long Term Plan 2027-37. Conversations about this have started within Council and you’ll hear a lot more about it later in the year.
Hi Richard – appreciate the update. Can you please confirm in the current climate where the majority of ratepayers have not received payrises for years yet have to foot the bill for overpaid workers and 8%+ rates rises, is this something you could trim back in future. Perhaps market rate update on all roles and a line by line review of what is nice to have over needs. We are counting on you to undo the Wise era management including mismanagement of funds earmarked for the Cyclone going to those less deserving.
Who are the less deserving Jackie? And who decides who is less “deserving” than others ? I prefer we are all in this together mantra as it’s a Christian viewpoint
Thank you for this statement, the commitment to core services, fiscal discipline, and community wellbeing comes through clearly, and those are values most Napier residents would share.
One thing worth noting: consultation only works if it’s genuinely representative. A submission process that attracts a small, organised group will always reflect that group’s priorities, regardless of what the broader community actually wants. That is why transparency about who is submitting matters. It’s also worth being clear about something many residents may not realise, commenting on social media, writing letters to the newspaper, or sending emails is informal feedback only. The sole way for your voice to be formally counted in Council’s decision-making is through the official submission form. Sayitnapier. This is a significant distinction, and it deserves to be said plainly and often.
Submissions can be made online at sayitnapier.nz, or in person with help from the team at the Customer Service Centre, Napier Library, or Taradale Library.
The Open House on 20 April is a welcome step. The legitimacy of this consultation depends on whether Napier’s full community feels heard and knows exactly how to make that happen.