Marlborough District Council has published its 2025 Pre Election Report to provide information for voters and potential candidates about Council’s finances, major projects and key challenges.

The report is required under legislation and designed to help promote public discussion about the issues facing Council and to encourage informed debate in the lead-up to the October 2025 local government elections.

It includes demographic information about the province, a list of Council’s major projects over the next three years, a financial overview and the outlook for Council from the perspective of Chief Executive John Boswell.

“The key challenges ahead include the creation of a new water services organisation, the new ferries replacement project, the Government’s legislative reforms and how we plan to manage and respond to the impacts of climate change,” Mr Boswell said.

“Local government is a complex and challenging environment that requires both a strategic understanding of what’s important to those who work at the political and strategic level, as well as a deep understanding of what matters most to the community it serves.

“The coming Council term - October 2025 to October 2028 - promises to be a period of both opportunity and challenge as a number of Government reform proposals are likely to be either finalised or enacted, decisions regarding key infrastructure projects are made, and a range of key community initiatives are progressed. A new Long Term Plan will be progressed with a full public consultation expected in early 2027.

“The development of a strong new councillor team is crucial to ensuring that Marlborough not only continues to provide the best possible service to our community but looks to how we can best position our district for the future,” he said.

The report can be viewed at: www.marlborough.govt.nz/your-council/elections/2025-council-election/pre-election-report

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