Message from Kirsten Wise

Kia ora from Kirsten Wise

Te Kahika o Te Kaunihera o Ahuriri
Napier Mayor

Proposals within this Annual Plan consultation document are a direct response to the public’s desire to keep rate increases to a minimum. This core driver means we need to make hard decisions, and in some areas we need your feedback to confirm the way forward. Our proposed average rates increase for 2025/26 is 7.9%, down from 11.7% signalled in the Three-Year Plan 2024-27.

To bring the increase down, we have committed to finding labour cost efficiencies, which are currently being worked through. We have also reduced the Resilience Rate for 2025/26 to cover scheduled resilience projects only. We have made changes to how we fund some services, including our successful and highly regarded Napier Assist Āwhina Tāngata.

We are considering new operating models for some of our facilities like Ocean Spa and Kennedy Park Resort. Being a visitor destination is central to who we are as a city, but should that come at a cost to our community?

We want your views on some key areas where budget cuts are possible. Should we close the central Napier Library site for an interim period? Should we demolish the National Aquarium and build something new and more affordable to run in the long term? Should we find a third party to operate the isite and lease out the building in which it currently sits? Should we find a third party to operate Par2 MiniGolf? These are some of the big questions we need your input on.

Many changes we are proposing will have only small financial effects immediately, but we must take a long view and make decisions that have lasting impacts.

Our community has told us very clearly that they need us to keep rates increases low, backed up by the wider economic climate and the pressures we know our people and our businesses are facing. Our ideas to minimise rates increases include some tough decisions about levels of services and facilities.

This is our community, and community voice is vital to making sure Council is delivering what residents and visitors want, alongside the core services that fall under our remit. There are many ways people can share their views but the only way we can consider them as part of the Annual Plan process is through submissions.

So, be sure to make a submission to have your voice heard.