NZ Local Elections 2025

Westland District Council

Hokitika Ward
The Westland District Council provides local services and facilities, such as public transport, rubbish and recycling, libraries, parks, and recreation facilities. It also makes decisions about building and planning, local regulations, and infrastructure, such as water supply and sewerage. The council is made up of eight councillors and the mayor. Councillors are elected to represent wards (areas in the district). three councillors will be elected from the Hokitika ward. This is a first past the post (FPP) election, so you vote by ticking the name of your preferred candidate on your ballot paper. Compare the candidates and their policies to decide who to vote for in the Westland District Council election.

Candidates

Policies

Choose a topic to compare

Climate change and resilience

Climate change and resilience

Environment

Environment

Housing and planning

Housing and planning

Jobs and economy

Jobs and economy

Local democracy

Local democracy

Rates and revenue

Rates and revenue

Recreation and culture

Recreation and culture

Transport

Transport

Utilities and services

Utilities and services

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.

  • Avoid unnecessary expenditure.

    Reduce costs.

  • Be innovative with revenue-gathering ideas especially around tourism and user-pays models.

    Encourage investments in the region and grow the rating base to share the load.

    Pull the alarm, only invest in services that matter most to people and stick to budget.

  • Address council debt, ie pay back where possible. Ensure it does not increase and should not increase with lower interest rates.

    Ensure fees and charges are fair and reasonable.

    Keep rate increases lower, ie under the rate of inflation.

  • Avoid unnecessary expenditure.

    Reduce costs.

  • Be innovative with revenue-gathering ideas especially around tourism and user-pays models.

    Encourage investments in the region and grow the rating base to share the load.

    Pull the alarm, only invest in services that matter most to people and stick to budget.

  • Address council debt, ie pay back where possible. Ensure it does not increase and should not increase with lower interest rates.

    Ensure fees and charges are fair and reasonable.

    Keep rate increases lower, ie under the rate of inflation.

Climate change and resilience

Climate change and resilience

Environment

Environment

Housing and planning

Housing and planning

Jobs and economy

Jobs and economy

Local democracy

Local democracy

Rates and revenue

Rates and revenue

Recreation and culture

Recreation and culture

Transport

Transport

Utilities and services

Utilities and services

Mayor

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Local council

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Regional council

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Local board

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