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Reasonable requests from Dunedin's smaller communities highlight the problem of the present local government funding model, Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull says.
Climate change, coastal erosion, freedom camping and the maintenance of the city's parks and reserves were all raised as issues by Dunedin's community board chairmen and a chairwoman during a meeting on the Dunedin City Council's annual plan yesterday.
Requests were made for investment in areas such as cycling infrastructure in the Brighton area, better maintenance of reserves and parks and improvements to the walking track network on the peninsula.
Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board chairwoman Sarah Nitis said while overgrown grass and untidy parks were relatively small issues, ratepayers noticed them every day.
Saddle Hill Community Board chairman Scott Weatherall said issues such as regular sports ground maintenance and reinstating a road resealing budget were ''major'' issues for his community.
Mr Cull, also the president of Local Government New Zealand, said there was nothing unreasonable in the requests from any of the community boards and it highlighted the council only had two ways to fund projects, either through debt or rates, while at the same time upgrading infrastructure.
''This is why the sector as a whole is telling the Government the funding models for local government are no longer adequate.''
There was praise for the council's approach to freedom camping and its trial of an inner-city freedom camping site at the Thomas Burns St car park.
Mr Weatherall said the council ''nailed'' its approach to freedom camping in Brighton and Ocean View this year.
Since the council's Thomas Burns St site opened last year. camper numbers at the Warrington Domain dropped by about 35%, Waikouaiti Coast chairman Alasdair Morrison said.
Otago Peninsula Community Board chairman Paul Pope said the situation on the peninsula had been ''OK'' this year.