Rates rise of 10.5% next year in Rangitīkei District Council’s long-term plan

Rangitīkei District Mayor Andy Watson. Photo / Bevan Conley

Rangitīkei ratepayers are facing an average rates increase of 10.5% for 2024-25, down from an expected 11.5%.

Rangitīkei District Council is due to adopt its long-term plan for 2024-2034 on Thursday, with three key decisions being made during the process so far.

As part of its consultation on the draft plan, the council sought opinions on whether it should open the Marton pool all year rather than seasonally, how the community wanted kerbside collection requirements rolled out, and whether the council should revitalise the Marton Town Centre, with two proposed options for each issue.

There were 454 submissions on the draft plan.

If the Marton pool opened only seasonally, which was the council’s preferred option, it would save $222,000 previously budgeted for the pool.

This option would result in no increase in rates, but would make it more difficult to attract staff for seasonal work at the pool and for people to commit to water/fitness programmes.

The second option was to open the pool year round, but an extra $135,000 would need to be allocated, bringing the total to $357,000.

The benefits would be that the council could employ permanent staff at the pool, and there was potential the pool would be used more.

There would have to be an increase in rates of 1.2% to cover this, and the council’s debt would not be affected.

Of the 454 submissions, 423 people submitted on the future of the Marton pool.

The majority (62%) chose the option to keep the pool open all year, compared with 33% who chose the seasonal option, and 5% who chose something else.

Kerbside collection was one of three main things consulted on.

Submitter Nia Carter wrote that when the community raised the money to have the pool covered, it was with the intention of having it open all year.

“There were swimming clubs from around the lower North Island that wanted to hire the pool on weekends for training as it was the only 50m heated covered pool between Wellington and Hamilton. This would have covered operating costs over winter.”

Carter said she had to travel to Feilding in the winter to swim and, being a pensioner, it was financially hard.

Another submitter, Annabel Whisker, agreed it would be good to use the pool during the winter months for exercise.

“Many people want to take their training/fitness indoors over the winter and this would allow the community to stay fit and healthy over winter months.”

Dale Buckendahl submitted the pool should be open year round to accommodate the many groups that travelled to the Splash Centre in Whanganui and the Makino pool in Feilding.

“I have been travelling to the Splash Centre for 10 years teaching hydrotherapy for arthritis. How wonderful would it be if Marton would allow this sort of group to operate year round?”

At a meeting on May 16, the council voted to open the pool seasonally.

Mayor Andy Watson said this was largely due to affordability — but also because work would need to be done to the pool to make it usable in the colder months.

“Whilst many of the councillors were in agreement that they would like the Marton pool open all year round, there were concerns about the condition of the facility and its ability to maintain the water temperature during the colder month,” the council said on its website.

Last year the Ministry for the Environment standardised kerbside recycling, meaning all urban areas with more than 1000 residents must have a council-run recycling collection by 2027, and a food or food-and-garden collection by 2030.

The council considered a couple of options on how to introduce this.

Its preferred option was to provide a council-run collection to the urban households in Bulls, Marton, Hunterville, Mangaweka and Taihape with three bins — for organic waste, general waste and recycling from January 2027.

This option would result in a 1.7% increase in rates in 2026-27 and a 1.5% increase in 2027-28, along with an increase of $1.5 million in council debt.

Alternatively, the council could stagger the provision of a recycling bin, which would be issued in January 2027, and an organic waste bin, which would be provided in January 2030. Residents would need a separate contract for disposing of general waste, and would be an additional cost.

This option would result in a 0.8% increase in rates in 2026-27, 0.7% increase in 2027-28, 0.6% increase in 2029-30, and 0.6% increase in 2030-31, along with an increase of $1m in council debt.

Marton's main street will get a facelift. Photo / Bevan Conley

Of the total submissions, 369 submitted on the kerbside collection, with 54% picking option 1, 31% picking option 2, and 15% picking something else.

One of the people who submitted was Janine Precey, of Marton, who thought a staggered approach would be best.

“I believe in kerbside recycling, but also understand it comes with a cost.”

There were several submissions regarding rural collection, including those from Tony Maas and Denise Nelson.

Maas said the council needed to have an equivalent option for rural residents and suggested drop bins staggered around the region.

Nelson in her submission questioned if this would extend a defined distance out of town and expressed the importance of getting people on board with recycling.

She also wrote about the long queues of cars at the Marton refuse station waiting to use the recycling bins.

The council decided against its preferred option and voted to stagger the provision of a recycling bin and an organic waste bin.

“This will allow council to monitor the legislation for kerbside collection of waste and recycling and allow council to better respond to any changes central government may implement.”

The council also asked for feedback on whether it should upgrade the main street in Marton.

Upgrading the street, which was the council’s preferred option, would cause a 0.36% increase in rates from year three and an increase of $2.2m in council debt.

Choosing not to upgrade the street would not affect rates or debt.

Of the submissions, 381 people submitted on the Marton main street upgrade, with 52% choosing option 1 and 40% choosing option 2.

Frances Arapere, of Marton, suggested bringing back the idea of closing off the street and having an open street mall featuring walking pathways, gardens and seats.

Nia Carter wanted the street upgraded, saying it would encourage people into town rather than travelling out of town.

Watson said the council voted to allow the money for the street upgrade, but would work on a plan for it first.

“Council discussed different approaches for town centre revitalisation and the cost of living and decided to proceed with the project, as a vibrant town centre has a wide range of social and economic benefits for the community. The plan for streetscape redevelopment will be created in collaboration with the community,” the council said.

The long-term plan will be adopted at a council meeting on Thursday, June 27.