A few days each year provide a particularly good snapshot of local democracy in action.
Deliberations about spending plans are when councillors really grapple with priorities.
They vote this way and that on matters to be included or excluded from an annual plan or long-term plan.
The series of decisions — and the arguments behind them — are typically a large enough sample size for residents to get a strong sense of where their elected representatives stand.
Right now, the immediate focus for the Dunedin City Council is the 2026-27 draft annual plan.
The council went to the public with a proposed rates increase of 10.5%, reflecting a combination of a Three Waters increase of 16.7% and a non-water component increase of 6.9%.
An increase in dividend of $3 million from Dunedin City Holdings was a significant driver for councillors to have a different set of figures in front of them when deliberations got under way this week.
An increase of 16.7% remained for Three Waters, but non-water rates were sitting at a 4.1% rise, and the overall rates increase thus at 8.8%.
Then councillors had their discussions. They talked over various matters on Wednesday and covered a bit more yesterday morning. The remainder is to be sorted out on Thursday next week.
As things stand, the Three Waters figure remains the same, but non-water rates are to rise by 4.3% and rates overall by 8.9%.
The council’s course might not have altered much, but residents may take note of various points on the journey.
* * *
It started with noting the chief executive’s overview and approving changes to the operational budget, while allowing the possibility tweaks might come later in the meeting.
The vote was not a bad indicator for some of the decision-making to come.
For (10): Mayor Sophie Barker, Crs John Chambers, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Marie Laufiso, Cherry Lucas, Mandy Mayhem, Mickey Treadwell, Steve Walker, Brent Weatherall.
Against (5): Crs Jo Galer, Russell Lund, Benedict Ong, Andrew Simms, Lee Vandervis.
The focus shifted to capital expenditure. The full budget was almost $240m at one point, and staff revised this down to just over $210m — the difference mainly reflecting some waste minimisation work being ‘‘rephased’’.
A couple of projects were put in front of councillors for possible deferral.
One was about making adjustments in Princes St to provide a better corridor for buses and pedestrians.
The resolution was for the council to press on as planned.
For (8): Mayor Sophie Barker, Crs John Chambers, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Marie Laufiso, Mandy Mayhem, Mickey Treadwell, Steve Walker.
Against (7): Crs Jo Galer, Cherry Lucas, Russell Lund, Benedict Ong, Andrew Simms, Lee Vandervis, Brent Weatherall.
The council has made a few adjustments to streets collectively known as the harbour arterial route.
It is principally aimed at drawing some heavy traffic away from central city streets, because of the central city location of the new hospital under construction.
Should the next stage be deferred?
Again, the resolution was for the council to press on as planned.
For (9): Mayor Sophie Barker, Crs John Chambers, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Marie Laufiso, Mandy Mayhem, Andrew Simms, Mickey Treadwell, Steve Walker.
Against (6): Jo Galer, Cherry Lucas, Russell Lund, Benedict Ong, Lee Vandervis, Brent Weatherall.
Councillors offered up their own ideas for what could be cut or delayed.
Crs Russell Lund and Jo Galer were worried the council might have landed on the wrong solutions for short-term flood alleviation in South Dunedin.
They wanted to pause a couple of projects amid a rethink.
For (4): Jo Galer, Russell Lund, Benedict Ong, Lee Vandervis.
Against (11): Mayor Sophie Barker, Crs John Chambers, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Marie Laufiso, Cherry Lucas, Mandy Mayhem, Andrew Simms, Mickey Treadwell, Steve Walker, Brent Weatherall.
Connected to that was a call for options to be re-evaluated before the 2027-37 long-term plan. Cr Andrew Simms was on board for this part.
For (5): Jo Galer, Russell Lund, Benedict Ong, Andrew Simms, Lee Vandervis.
Against (10): Mayor Sophie Barker, Crs John Chambers, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Marie Laufiso, Cherry Lucas, Mandy Mayhem, Mickey Treadwell, Steve Walker, Brent Weatherall.
Much of the work is done, but the project’s final stretch is not subsidised by the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.
Should it be pulled from the annual plan?
A motion to that effect lost — just.
For (7): Crs Jo Galer, Cherry Lucas, Russell Lund, Benedict Ong, Andrew Simms, Lee Vandervis, Brent Weatherall.
Against (8): Mayor Sophie Barker, Crs John Chambers, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Marie Laufiso, Mandy Mayhem, Mickey Treadwell, Steve Walker.
Investment to improve energy efficiency at the Toitū Otago Settlers Museum was up for debate.
Should that be shelved?
For (7): Crs Jo Galer, Cherry Lucas, Russell Lund, Benedict Ong, Andrew Simms, Lee Vandervis, Brent Weatherall.
Against (8): Mayor Sophie Barker, Crs John Chambers, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Marie Laufiso, Mandy Mayhem, Mickey Treadwell, Steve Walker.
A quantum of $210m for capital expenditure was considered an unrealistic amount to deliver.
A decision was made to take $12m out, while the council was not yet specifying which projects might be affected by timing delays.
For (10): Mayor Sophie Barker, Crs John Chambers, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Marie Laufiso, Cherry Lucas, Mandy Mayhem, Mickey Treadwell, Steve Walker, Brent Weatherall.
Against (5): Crs Jo Galer, Russell Lund, Benedict Ong, Andrew Simms, Lee Vandervis.
The council’s income from community housing does not cover the full costs of the portfolio. It is partly subsidised by rates.
It had been planned community housing tenants would face an 8% rise in rents.
Cr Mickey Treadwell argued for no rental increase in 2026-27 and then a last-minute compromise was proposed by Cr Galer.
This was for a rents rise of 4%.
For (5): Mayor Sophie Barker, Crs Jo Galer, Cherry Lucas, Russell Lund, Benedict Ong.
Against (10): Cr John Chambers, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Marie Laufiso, Mandy Mayhem, Andrew Simms, Mickey Treadwell, Lee Vandervis, Steve Walker, Brent Weatherall.
Councillors returned to the previous idea of a freeze in rental increases for community housing tenants.
For (8): Crs John Chambers, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Marie Laufiso, Mandy Mayhem, Andrew Simms, Mickey Treadwell, Steve Walker.
Against (7): Mayor Sophie Barker, Crs Jo Galer, Cherry Lucas, Russell Lund, Benedict Ong, Lee Vandervis, Brent Weatherall.
Yesterday, Cr Lund argued the contestable grants fund should be reduced by $200,000.
For (7): Crs Jo Galer, Cherry Lucas, Russell Lund, Benedict Ong, Andrew Simms, Lee Vandervis, Brent Weatherall.
Against (8): Mayor Sophie Barker, Crs John Chambers, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Marie Laufiso, Mandy Mayhem, Mickey Treadwell, Steve Walker.
