Gisborne District Council

Tairāwhiti General Ward
The Gisborne District Council provides local services and facilities, such as public transport, rubbish and recycling, libraries, parks, and recreation facilities. It also passes local regulations and makes decisions about infrastructure, such as water supply and sewerage, and about the region’s resources, including water, soil and the coastline. The council is made up of 13 councillors and the mayor. Councillors are elected to represent wards (areas in the district). Eight councillors will be elected from the Tairāwhiti General ward. This is a single transferable vote (STV) election, so you vote by ranking the candidates on your ballot paper. Compare the candidates and their policies to decide who to vote for in the Gisborne District Council election.

Rates and revenue

The work of local government is funded mainly by property taxes in the local area, known as rates. This makes up around 60% of council expenditure, with the rest coming from user charges, investment income, regulatory fees and roading subsidies. Councils can also borrow money to spread the cost of large investments such as infrastructure over a longer period of time.

Rates and revenue

The work of local government is funded mainly by property taxes in the local area, known as rates. This makes up around 60% of council expenditure, with the rest coming from user charges, investment income, regulatory fees and roading subsidies. Councils can also borrow money to spread the cost of large investments such as infrastructure over a longer period of time.

  • Cut the cloth to fit the purse. Spend on needs not wants.

    Keep rate rises down and rates affordable.

    View debt as a smoothing mechanism and a means of achieving equity between time periods. Have a prudent approach to debt.

  • Review of council spending priorities.

  • Seek more central govt funding for activities like climate change preparation, coastal retrenchment, transportation, civil defence.

    Development of higher returns from GHL to fund essential GDC activities and work more collaboratively with TT and Eastland Group to utilise fund

    A move back to basics – providing essential services efficiently and cost effectively and setting aside nice to have activities.

  • Committed to revisit rates gathering on fairness issues. Such as allowing rates gathering from commercial licences of growers – what next?

    Committed to a council that recognises in general the overall economy is becoming harder on all levels of society especially individuals.

    Realising that climate change issues and infrastructure damage is regular, keep Three Waters asset compensation for emergencies.

  • Align and work with other partners in the region to ensure we make the most of opportunities from central government.

  • Discourage white elephant projects designed to load ratepayers with unrepayable debt.

    Ensure that waste management and recreational services are on the case.

    Vote in trustees who will use sound financial management instead of funding unworkable green alternatives because they sound good.

  • Advocate to central government for a change in the current funding model to ensure greater funding for our region.

    Enable Council's council-controlled trading organisation (CCTO) to make greater profit from its investments by supporting it to sell underperforming assets.

    Keep council debt at or below the level prescribed in the annual plan and long term plan.

  • Introduce a new levy on developers to fund infrastructure in low decile suburbs.

    Encourage higher rates for people earning over 100k pa, to help fund infrastructure in low decile suburbs and communal living spaces.

  • Review our rates policy and consider new models that support multiple opportunities for ratepayers.

    Ensure our fees and charges have an equity lens that doesn't marginalise our low income whānau.

    Commit to ensuring council financials are shared with all ratepayers to promote transparency and understanding of their importance.

  • Use monies from asset sales to reduce debt so future ratepayers are not servicing debt on assets they do not own or control.

    Keep rate rises to a minimum by a back to basics, what we need not what we want approach.

    Reduce council debt when possible by halting "feel good" projects.

  • Spend rates responsibly. Focus spend on actual physical works and minimising waste.

    Spend money on key projects, ie elimination of sewage into our awa.

    Actively chase government funding initiatives and make sure this money reaches the people on the ground.

  • Always be accutely aware of Councils debt levels and adherence to budget.

    Balance the rate at a level which recognises community affordability and community expectations for growth and development.

    Set the fees and charges at reasonable levels which reflect the service and looks to a user/beneficiary pay model.

  • Cut the cloth to fit the purse. Spend on needs not wants.

    Keep rate rises down and rates affordable.

    View debt as a smoothing mechanism and a means of achieving equity between time periods. Have a prudent approach to debt.

  • Review of council spending priorities.

  • Seek more central govt funding for activities like climate change preparation, coastal retrenchment, transportation, civil defence.

    Development of higher returns from GHL to fund essential GDC activities and work more collaboratively with TT and Eastland Group to utilise fund

    A move back to basics – providing essential services efficiently and cost effectively and setting aside nice to have activities.

  • Committed to revisit rates gathering on fairness issues. Such as allowing rates gathering from commercial licences of growers – what next?

    Committed to a council that recognises in general the overall economy is becoming harder on all levels of society especially individuals.

    Realising that climate change issues and infrastructure damage is regular, keep Three Waters asset compensation for emergencies.

  • Align and work with other partners in the region to ensure we make the most of opportunities from central government.

  • Discourage white elephant projects designed to load ratepayers with unrepayable debt.

    Ensure that waste management and recreational services are on the case.

    Vote in trustees who will use sound financial management instead of funding unworkable green alternatives because they sound good.

  • Advocate to central government for a change in the current funding model to ensure greater funding for our region.

    Enable Council's council-controlled trading organisation (CCTO) to make greater profit from its investments by supporting it to sell underperforming assets.

    Keep council debt at or below the level prescribed in the annual plan and long term plan.

  • Introduce a new levy on developers to fund infrastructure in low decile suburbs.

    Encourage higher rates for people earning over 100k pa, to help fund infrastructure in low decile suburbs and communal living spaces.

  • Review our rates policy and consider new models that support multiple opportunities for ratepayers.

    Ensure our fees and charges have an equity lens that doesn't marginalise our low income whānau.

    Commit to ensuring council financials are shared with all ratepayers to promote transparency and understanding of their importance.

  • Use monies from asset sales to reduce debt so future ratepayers are not servicing debt on assets they do not own or control.

    Keep rate rises to a minimum by a back to basics, what we need not what we want approach.

    Reduce council debt when possible by halting "feel good" projects.

  • Spend rates responsibly. Focus spend on actual physical works and minimising waste.

    Spend money on key projects, ie elimination of sewage into our awa.

    Actively chase government funding initiatives and make sure this money reaches the people on the ground.

  • Always be accutely aware of Councils debt levels and adherence to budget.

    Balance the rate at a level which recognises community affordability and community expectations for growth and development.

    Set the fees and charges at reasonable levels which reflect the service and looks to a user/beneficiary pay model.