New Plymouth’s 12.4% rates rise comfortably voted in

The march to bring New Plymouth’s infrastructure up to scratch continues after the next rates rise was comfortably voted in by council on Tuesday.

In front of a packed Civic Centre, where ratepayers leaned against the walls, mayor Neil Holdom opened by assuring those in attendance that he understood the concern in the community about the proposed 12.4% increase.

“Concerns about the increase were exacerbated by recent commentary and media articles highlighting the impact of recently large increases in land values leading to a widespread fear that many of our households would see much higher increases,” he said.

Indeed, most of the subsequent debate and complaint from those in attendance centred on the uncertainty late arriving property valuations would have on some facing over and above the average rate rise.

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However, Holdom was clear that the road to fixing New Plymouth’s failing infrastructure could not be diverted despite the increased valuations and inflationary pressure.

He said the overwhelming community support received during the last long-term plan which centred largely on fixing long ignored infrastructure meant the council continued to have the mandate to carry on with that spending.

“You can argue inflation isn’t fair, and I wouldn’t disagree, because it is an invisible thief stealing food from our tables,” he said.

“But I came here to fix our infrastructure and make difficult decisions our previous councils didn’t take.”

His stance found favour with five-term councillor Gordon Brown who implored his fellow elected members to show courage and make the decision to adopt the annual plan and with it the 12.4% rates rise.

Brown rubbished views from his peers who have publicly suggested deferring the annual plan adoption to re-visit the rates rise after the late delivery of property valuations, despite advice from council management that it would be legally dangerous.

“I have never heard of a council advocating that we should move this to next year and not strike a rate,” he said.

“This is the New Plymouth District Council, we are actually good at what we do. Courage is doing the right thing, even if it’s unpopular.”

Brown emphasised the time to make change was back in March when the council voted to recommend the annual plan adoption, not at Tuesday’s meeting.

Former mayor Harry Duynhoven was also firmly in support, giving a history lesson in the dangers of not forging ahead of what had been started.

“We don’t have a choice,” he said, bluntly.

The balance in favour of adopting the new rates rise was clearly in the pro, although Anneka Carlson was amongst four councillors who would eventually vote against it.

She wanted the same rate from the last financial year adopted, while first-term councillor Bryan Vickery wanted an extra fortnight afforded before a decision was made to better communicate what the increase would mean to the community.

The pair, along with Max Brough and Murray Chong, also voted against it, while Sam Bennett was absent after storming out of the meeting following being threatened with censure for his behaviour by the mayor.

Bennett’s interruption was not the only time when the meeting was paused or threatened to escalate beyond control after several people interjected or left complaining their voice was not being listened to.

By the end of the vote, the public gallery was largely sparse, with little more than a dozen or so ratepayers staying to learn what decision had been made.