ECan endorses 24.5 per cent rate rise and only four councillors voice concern

Thursday, 25 February 2021

A majority of Environment Canterbury councillors support increasing their rates by up to 24.5 per cent.

Only four of 14 councillors directly criticised the proposed change at a meeting on Thursday, while most others said the budget is transformational and shows the council is responding to the demands of the community.

The proposal has drawn the ire of farmers and city councillors while delighting environment campaigners.

If rates were to rise by 24.5 per cent, an average homeowner would have to fork out an extra $136. There is a second option to only raise rates by 18 per cent, which would see the average house paying $110.

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The changes are included in the regional council’s 10-year budget, known as a long-term plan.

At a meeting on Thursday, regional councillors voted to send the plan out for public consultation, which will begin next month.

All 14 councillors, along with two Ngāi Tahu representatives, gave speeches outlining their views on the proposals.

Cr Peter Scott, also the deputy chair, said residents were surprised by the headline numbers and a majority were angry and annoyed.

But the changes were just proposals and “a lot of water [has] got to go under the bridge” before final decisions were made, he said. He urged residents with concerns to get in touch with him.

Cr Lan Pham said while the long term plan “was a big ask to the community”, she hoped people would acknowledge it was an appeal for them to be part of the solution to the climate and ecological emergency.

“That is our unfortunate reality and this [plan] is just one small part of our attempt to address that,” Pham said.

In May 2019, ECan became the first council in New Zealand to declare a climate emergency.

Iaean Cranwell, a former ECan councillor who is now one of two non-voting Ngāi Tahu advisers on the council, said the regional council was brave and the long-term plan was aspirational.

He urged residents not to focus on the rate rise percentage, but to instead read the plan's consultation document and look at what ECan would be doing.

“We need to make change and we need an enduring environment for the generations to come,” Cranwell said.

But Cr Claire McKay said she was extremely concerned and alarmed by the proposed rate rises.

“Where is the leadership from this council?

“What we go out with should’ve been sensible, and 24.5 per cent is not,” McKay said.

Cr Ian Mackenzie said there was no responsible governance.

“I guess I not only have reservations about the scale of the expenditure, but I have real reservations about the process we've gone through in terms of scrutinising that and other expenditure,” he said.

Cr John Sunckell said he was uncomfortable with the proposed rate rises, but supported putting the plan out for consultation.

Cr Megan Hands, who ran for National's Rangitata seat in last year's election, described the council as “extremely divided” and said the proposed changes were insulting to ratepayers.

Her division comment was denied by another councillor, Phil Clearwater.

“There’s always going to be different opinions, but overall, we are quite clear on doing this [plan], that's what we agreed on and that’s what we're going to be doing.”