Thames-Coromandel will carry on the work started through the cyclone recovery programme, with millions of dollars in ratepayer funding.
District councillors voted in favour of extending the recovery programme for two years during long-term plan 2024-2034 deliberations on Wednesday.
That equated to annual, per property rates contributions of $18.63 in the 2026/27 years.
After the meeting, Thames-Coromandel District Mayor Len Salt said $12 million external funding had been received through various agencies and donations to the Mayoral Disaster Relief Fund to assist with the recovery from severe weather events in early 2023.
Of that, close to $11m had been spent, with most of the remaining funds committed.
There was an approved contract with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to fund another $450,000, which was due for payment on July 1 for the 2024/25 financial year.
What was left would see the district through to the end of June 2025, Salt said.
Government funding was due to come to an end in June 2025. Salt earlier indicated council had an obligation to look after “social navigators”, but that would come at a cost.
The council had presented three options in the draft Long Term Plan (LTP) with a preference for option two which would see $4.4m spent over 10 years.
Option two would help the district be stronger advocates and connectors for communities and collaborate more effectively with partners regionally and nationally, the draft LTP document said. It would also provide a balance by providing some services, while not increasing the cost to ratepayers significantly.
Option one would have seen no impact as the council would cease its role once government funding ran out.
Option three would have involved increased investment to the tune of $8.2m over 10 years, equating to a $36.24 per annum rates increase in 2025/26, $36.06 per annum rates increase in 2026/27 and $34.95 per annum average rates increase in subsequent years.
Tairua locals save a boat washed ashore in February 2023 after Cyclone Gabrielle brought carnage to the Coromandel with strong winds and rain. Photograph by Mike Scott
Salt said about 130 submissions had been received, with 63 per cent indicating that work should continue at the proposed level of funding.
A recovery funding spend overview provided a summary of the funding received, and expenditure to March 31, 2024.
Salt said he was thrilled with how the Coromandel community had responded to the weather events, and in extending funding, the council would have a responsibility to enable support work for its communities, after communities had stepped up during weather events.
State Highway 25 bridge and road construction in December 2023. Stabilising work is carried out on the slip face while the storm water channel is laid.
Waka Kotahi
A breakdown of spending showed the majority of funding had come from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment ($8,523,500) for a Business Recovery Fund.
From that, there were 502 Business Recovery Grant recipients and $300,000 directed to a Local Economy Business Recovery Programme.
Another $1,151,127 had come via the Mayoral Disaster Relief Fund, with expenditure of $972,399, leaving a balance of $178,728.
From that fund, money was distributed to social recovery, Sport Waikato, community events, community resilience, impacted Whānau Care packs for social navigator visits, Christmas hamper contributions, an increasing older adults’ resilience campaign, community connector services and food bank agencies.
The Department of Internal Affairs committed $500,000 towards salaries including a recovery manager, community partnerships co-ordinator, communications support and internal staff, and a Blue-Sky Highway and Recovery Plan development, and review.
The Department of the Prime Minister had committed $450,000 to funding for Regional Recovery Structure, including salaries for a cultural navigator, economic development adviser, communication contractor, Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) cadets, a communications adviser, part funding for a community partnerships coordinator, and consenting costs associated with disaster work on identified properties.
The Ministry of Social Devlopment committed $497,000; $479,000 towards social sector recovery including $329,000 for an Iwi and Community Fund, which included $80,000 allocation to the Coromandel Connector Bus Services trial and a $150,000 Mental Wellbeing fund.
Another $18,000 was distributed to a Te Aorerekura Workshop ($6000) and ($12,000) for Careers Road Shows.
Other contributions came from the Ministry of Business and Innovation ($350,000), Lottery Grants Board ($261,000), Lions Foundation ($50,000), Ministry of Primary Industries ($79,084) and the Red Cross ($262,000).
