Hawke’s Bay Regional Council acknowledges the Government’s announcement to bring rates under control through measures like rates capping.

Regional Council Chair Sophie Siers says, “We are very mindful of cost pressures on households, and over the past year we’ve taken deliberate steps to drive efficiencies – reprioritising work, reducing overheads, and improving the way we plan and deliver projects.

“While we support discussions about rates capping – this type of capping still raises big questions about how local government can continue to meet the needs of our communities in an environment of constrained funding and respond quickly to challenges such as extreme weather.”

Regional Council rates fund a wide range of essential services that protect people, property and the environment – and build regional resilience, she says.

This includes flood mitigation and river management, maintaining stopbanks, drainage schemes, and river channels, as well as catchment and erosion management to support sustainable land use.

Regional Council monitors water quality, provides hazard information and flood forecasting and manages natural resources through consenting and compliance work. It also delivers regional planning, transport planning and biosecurity programmes.

“Looking ahead to 2027 and beyond, our goal is to embed affordability in everything we do. We will continue to review how we deliver services, seek efficiencies and prioritise cost-effective solutions so ratepayers get value from every dollar.

“At the same time, we believe it is vital that decisions about our region’s future -including rates capping – continue to reflect the voice of local communities.

“We look forward to working with Central Government to develop effective funding solutions.”

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