Why can’t Council just stop spending?
Rates are rising, and every household is feeling the squeeze. When people pay their rates, they expect that money to be used wisely - and that’s exactly what we focused on in this week’s Strategy and Recovery Committee meeting.
As chair of the committee that sets the council’s strategic direction and identifies ways to improve efficiency, I take seriously the responsibility of ensuring we are actively looking for savings, smarter ways of working, and better financial outcomes for our community.
The community is rightly asking council to take a hard look at where money is going. That means both going through the finances carefully and stepping back to look at the bigger picture - making sure we’re prioritising the right things, getting better deals on contracts, and cutting costs in ways that don’t create bigger problems down the track.
That’s why, as part of the Long-Term Plan, councillors made it clear that identifying savings and ensuring ratepayer money is spent wisely must be a priority. This week, our Chief Executive formally reported back on the steps being taken to cut waste, spend smarter, and avoid pushing bigger costs onto ratepayers in the future.
Why “Just Stop Spending” isn’t a solution
With elections coming up, you’ll hear many candidates say council should stop all spending apart from the basics. It’s a simple message - but ratepayers deserve more than slogans and unrealistic promises.
Of course, council must look for cuts and spend responsibly - that’s why we’ve already tightened spending and focused on essential services. But halting all investment won't isn’t a solution - in fact, it will create new problems, as deferred costs often lead to asset failure risks and even greater expenses later.
Take the Civic Square paving upgrade as an example. I completely understand why some people question this project’s timing and cost, especially when households are struggling. But this wasn’t a rushed or extravagant decision - it was a project that had been deferred multiple times because council was prioritising more urgent spending:
Originally, Civic Square was earmarked for an upgrade almost 10 years ago, but after the Havelock North water crisis (before my time on Council), the council of the day rightly redirected that funding into a $50 million drinking water upgrade.
Later, it was included in another Long-Term Plan, but was deferred again due to COVID-19.
It was then tied to a planned library rebuild, but after Cyclone Gabrielle, council halted that plan (as part of $40 million in savings) deeming the library rebuild as non-essential works in the current climate.
However, the Civic Square paving project remained because it was no longer just a cosmetic upgrade - it had become a health and safety issue.
Under New Zealand law, councils must maintain public spaces to ensure they are safe and accessible. The deteriorating pavers in Civic Square have created multiple trip hazards, and if we ignore the issue, we will be legally negligent.
Additionally, the project includes restoring the Pou in Civic Square, cultural landmarks that, like war memorials, require ongoing care to preserve their significance. This restoration is a shared effort, with the local Marae making a significant investment to ensure these taonga are protected for future generations.
Some residents have raised concerns about the $1 million cost, which is completely understandable! However, Civic Square is a key public space used by thousands of people, and ensuring it remains safe and accessible is essential. This investment is designed to be a durable, long-term (hopefully another 50 years) fix - preventing ongoing repair costs and ensuring ratepayers get the best value over time. While it may seem eye-watering, this cost will ensure high durability and minimal future maintenance costs, saving us money now and in the future.
Some will see this as “just more spending,” but doing nothing is not an option - it would expose the council (and you, the ratepayer) to legal liability and leave the community with a worsening problem that will cost even more to fix in the future.
This is exactly why council must carefully consider spending - not just slash and burn. There are real consequences to delaying necessary work, and while it’s easy to say “just stop spending,” making responsible financial decisions is about knowing when to cut and when an investment today will prevent bigger costs tomorrow.
No councillor alone can ‘fix’ council - it takes collaboration, leadership, and the ability to bring others along. This was something I was proud to see in action at the Strategy and Recovery Committee meeting, where councillors and our Chief Executive reaffirmed the need for stronger financial oversight. That’s why we’ve taken clear steps to review contracts, reassess spending priorities, and ensure better long-term financial planning.
What are you doing to ensure Smarter Spending?
At this week’s Strategy and Recovery Committee meeting, we focused on exactly that - how we make sure every dollar works as hard as possible for ratepayers.
Our Chief Executive reported back on the work underway to:
Review major contracts to ensure we’re getting the best deals on infrastructure and services.
Prioritise essential spending while cutting unnecessary costs.
Review the capital works program (which is $2.1 billion over the next 10 years) as this is where the most meaningful savings to households can be made.
Improve financial oversight so we can track spending better and avoid waste.
Plan ahead for smarter investments in what we have that prevent costly repairs in the future.
These aren’t vague promises - this work is already happening…
What this means for you…
The goal is simple: to make sure ratepayers get the best value for their money. We're working to:
Make sure money is spent wisely - not wasted.
Look for savings - but not in ways that will cost us more in the long run.
Balance the books - reducing debt and the interest burden on future budgets
The bottom line…
Sometimes, making cuts is the right call. That’s why I supported tough decisions, like the $40 million of cuts and project deferrals we made during the Long-Term Plan process and like the closure of Frimley Pool, where the costs simply didn’t stack up.
I know that decision in particular was upsetting for many in our community - I live in Frimley, and my own kids and I have used that pool for years. It wasn’t an easy choice, but it was one of those hard calls that had to be made.
At the same time, not every cut actually saves money in the long run. Putting off maintenance, cancelling essential upgrades, or deferring essential projects that will only cost more later isn’t financial responsibility - it’s just passing the buck down the road and creating new problems.
These reviews are about making sure we’re getting value for money, cutting waste where we can, and making smart investments that protect Hastings from bigger costs in the future.
That’s the approach I’ll continue to push for - one that respects ratepayers’ hard-earned money while making sure Hastings stays strong for the years ahead.
Let’s talk…
Your views matter. Whether you have questions about council decisions, want to discuss a local issue, or have insights that could help shape our work, I’m always keen to listen.
If you’re part of a group that would like to discuss council work or explore solutions together, let’s connect.