Latest news with #MahéDrysdale
RNZ News
3 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Tauranga bracing for another street racer event
Photo: Tauranga is bracing for another street racer invasion after police stopped an event from taking place in the city on Saturday. On Friday night, around 1000 people gathered in Levin and Palmerston North and police were forced to wear riot gear when bystanders were struck by cars. Now, police have told RNZ they were aware of a possible event in Tauranga on Sunday night. The city's mayor Mahé Drysdale said he was worried it could get out of control and they had been in touch with police. "It's very disappointing people want to disrupt our community and use our public spaces to cause a nuisance. "They [the police] responded well last night and nipped it in the bud before it became a problem. I hope they can do it again tonight." Drysdale said it was unacceptable people had been injured in street racing events this weekend. "Street racers have to think about the consequences if they were to hit or kill someone. "It's not worth it for a cheap thrill for a very short period of time." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
4 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Tauranga Council Cuts $9.85m In Costs To Shave 2.1% Off Rates Rise
Tauranga residents are facing a 9.9% rates rise after the council found extra savings. Tauranga City Council faced public criticism for proposing a 12% rates increase, down from a projected 20%. It has found $9.85 million more in cuts to council operating costs to knock off another just over 2%. These included saving $166,000 by turning public recycling bins - which had high contamination rates - into rubbish bins. The biggest cost drop, however, came from employee reductions, with at least 98 roles cut and at $12.3m saved. The council deliberated on its 2025/26 Annual Plan from Monday to Thursday after receiving 968 submissions and hearing from 68 people in person this month. On Thursday Mayor Mahé Drysdale said the changes and savings made in the plan would flow through to future years. Drysdale promised he would keep the rates below those forecast in the long-term plan. The 9.9% overall rates rise was 'not as good' as the councillors would have liked, but it was a start, he said. The council would be looking at every dollar because they needed to be prudent with people's money, Drysdale said. 'We have to respect ratepayers' money, and we have to deliver things for as small a cost as we can.' The community had also told the council more facilities were needed, he said. 'We've been dealt a very tough situation where our infrastructure and our community assets are well below where they need to be.' He said the challenge was finding the balance between delivering projects and reducing rates. 'I'm very proud of this team [and] I think we have delivered a very good balance.' Councillor Glen Crowther said it was a challenging Annual Plan because they were dealing with past decisions that added costs to the organisation. A lot of those decisions were 'firmly locked into place', he said. Crowther said he wanted a lower rates increase. 'I appreciate that a lot of work went into getting to the 9.9%, so I'm not dismissing that, but I think we need to end up lower.' The council's operating expenses were still too high, and he wanted work done before the Annual Plan was adopted in July to reduce rates further, he said. During the four days of deliberations, the council discussed everything from portaloos to tsunami paths in Pāpāmoa. Tauranga Netball asked for $20,000 to lease five portaloos toilets at Blake Park during the winter sports season. Drysdale said this was 'expensive' and they needed to 'get a deal'. The council decided to buy the portaloos and would be able to pay for this within the current budget. The Ōtūmoetai Pool, an 'amazing community asset' slated for closure, was saved. The council also agreed to extend the Pāpāmoa shared coastal path from Parton Rd to Taylor Reserve, provided it cost no more than $1m and could be delivered within the council's current budget. There were some losers from the deliberations. Councillors declined ARGOS Gym Sports $67,000 for a new kitchen and cafe facility, and Bowls Matua would not receive $180,000 to upgrade its third green. Creative Bay of Plenty would also not receive a $77,500 increase in its funding. The rates increase would be finalised in June when the Annual Plan was adopted. How the council achieved its savings • Projects reprioritised or delivered in-house $3.2m • Reduction in consultants and more use of internal services $3.9m • Employee cost reductions $9.1m - 98 roles were disestablished with more possible • Uptake-related kerbside collection cost reduction $900,000 • Interest-related finance cost savings $2m • Increased user fees $2.3m • Reduced engagement and education costs $1.5m • Other organisation-wide cost reductions $5.1m The extra savings to get to 9.9% • Further employee cost reductions $3.2m • Interest and depreciation savings $2.2m • Process improvement savings $3.8m - LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Scoop
5 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Cost Savings Locked In For Annual Plan 2025/26
Tauranga City's Mayor and Councillors yesterday settled on an average rate increase of 9.9 percent to support the city's Annual Plan 2025/2026 – just over two percent less than the increase consulted on in April. The decision comes after four days of deliberations this week, as the Council worked through the city's priorities for the next financial year, with discussion centred on how greater value for money could be achieved across all projects. Mayor Mahé Drysdale says the Council doesn't want to slow progress down so is focused on reducing costs while maintaining service delivery and continuing to provide facilities that the community needs and wants. 'We want to deliver for Tauranga and make this city the best in the country. Many of the decisions we're making today will make a difference in years to come. This year we've really invested in community facilities to cater for the city's growing population, because many of our existing facilities are already operating at capacity,' says Mahé. 'We understand that a 9.9% average rates increase is still considerable for the community, but we are delivering around half a billion dollars' worth of much-needed capital works, one of the largest investment programmes in the country and one of the biggest we've ever delivered. 'While the rates increase is higher than we would have liked, I'm satisfied that we've done everything we can to balance the need to invest in our future, while keeping rates affordable, including delivering $38 million of savings through this annual plan process,' Mahé says. 'I would like to commend staff for their response to our call to action to reduce spend and increase efficiencies across projects. It's been a collective effort from the Council and staff to get to this point. 'This is just the start of our journey, and there is plenty more to do.' Mahé thanks the community for their submissions and sharing their points of view. 'We received some constructive suggestions, and we've taken everything on board. 'Now the challenge is to deliver our work programme and cement-in the budget savings we've made.' Community facilities to receive support in the Annual Plan 2025/26: Relocatable changing rooms for Mount Maunganui Cricket Club Part-funding of portaloos for Tauranga Netball at Blake Park A Pāpāmoa Rugby Club relocatable clubroom facility Investment in lighting for the Judea Community Sport Club (subject to feasibility) Additional support for paid lifeguard services at Tay Street Beach A commitment has also been made to work with Arataki Sports Club and Papamoa Tennis Club on the feasibility of future facilities. Support was also given to the development of a 50-metre outdoor training pool at Mount Maunganui College, subject to due diligence, and to the investment needed to keep the Ōtūmoetai Swimming Pool up and running Mahé says thanks to some offers of help from the community, the Council was able to approve a few items without additional rates funding. A full list of funded projects will be available on council's website from late-June and the Draft Annual Plan 2025/26 will go to the Council for adoption on 26 June. Other approvals given this week: Council approved $2 million of expenditure to be brought forward into the Annual Plan 2025/26 from the 2027/28 financial year, to fund and progress the Connecting Mount Maunganui detailed business case – with a further $1 million to be brought forward into the Annual Plan 2026/27 in addition to the $500,000 already allocated in that year. This would be financed through the existing transport-related infrastructure funding and financing levy (IFF), with no impact on rates. This project would aim to address improving road safety and access to, from and through Mount Maunganui. Council will also invest up to $1 million in the stage two extension of the Pāpāmoa Shared Pathway, subject to this fitting within the Annual Plan budget. Local Water Done Well Following consultation in April, the community's submissions on the Local Water Done Well proposals were collated and presented to the Council on 28 May. Community views on whether to establish a multi-council CCO were close to evenly split, with some people supporting the efficiencies of scale and regional perspective that this would bring, while others were concerned about cost increases and loss of local control. Council resolved to keep all three waters together (drinking water, wastewater and stormwater), recognising that some stormwater land that has a high amenity value to the community should stay under council management, and noted that its proposed model remains a multi-CCO. A public workshop to review financial modelling for the waters proposals will be held on 24 June. A decision on the preferred delivery model is then expected to be considered at the Council meeting on 15 July. A summary of community responses can be found in council's 26 May 2025 agenda.
Scoop
6 days ago
- Sport
- Scoop
Council Votes On New Aquatic Network Plan
Press Release – Tauranga City Council The Aquatics Network Plan will include an aquatic centre at Memorial Park, the retention of tmoetai Pool for at least 15 years, and support for the 50m training pool at Mount Maunganui College. Tauranga City's Mayor and Councillors have voted to support the development of a 50-metre outdoor training pool at Mount Maunganui College and to keep the Ōtūmoetai Swimming Pool up and running. At this week's Annual Plan 2025/26 deliberations, the Council was presented with three key options as part of a draft Aquatics Network Plan, which will outline a roadmap for aquatic facilities in Tauranga. The Council was told site investigations are underway to inform the next step for the Memorial Park Aquatic project. If found to be favourable, a design review will ensure the project has the right scope, design and cost to deliver value for money for the community. Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale says a community survey undertaken at the end of 2024 showed 73% of respondents supported additional aquatic facilities with an indoor 50-metre lane pool ranking the second highest feature in the feedback. He says the initial Memorial Park Aquatic Centre proposal, which had an original budget of $124 million, was inherited from the Commission but he is keen to get a better financial outcome. 'We're committed to delivering value for money, so it's on us to understand what our community wants and consider what cost savings could be possible,' Mahé says. 'I applaud the Mount Maunganui Aquatic Centre Trust for bringing us the 50-metre pool option. It ticks a lot of boxes, and we would provide an Olympic-size pool for Tauranga in the shortest possible timeframe. From a Council perspective, it's probably the most economical pool we could ever build.' The Council is supportive of the 50-metre pool proposal but will continue to work with the Trust and undertake due diligence before releasing the funding. Deputy Mayor Jen Scoular says the Aquatic Network Plan is looking at the bigger picture for Tauranga and delivering what the people of Tauranga have said they want. 'This supports a healthy Tauranga. We want kids learning to swim and being safe in the water. We want them having fun and we've now got some great options on the table.' The Aquatics Network Plan will now be drafted and go back to the Council for endorsement before going out for community consultation. Council Recommendations: Memorial Park Aquatic Centre (c) Notes that the site investigations currently underway for the existing Memorial Pool site (including geotechnical) will be available in early August 2025. If the results are favourable, this could present an opportunity to locate the new Memorial Aquatics Centre on that site and to retain the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre for circa 15 years. Ōtūmoetai Pool (d) Supports the Ōtūmoetai Pool Working Group's recommendations to retain and upgrade the Ōtūmoetai Pool and signals its intent to allocate indicative capital funding of $3.28m (uninflated) in 2027/28 and $2.43m (uninflated) in 2032/33 through the next Long-Term Plan in line with those recommendations. (e) Notes that if the Ōtūmoetai Pool is retained in the network the Development Contributions Policy will need to be amended to reflect the implications of that decision. Mount Maunganui College 50-metre pool (f) Confirms in-principle support for the Mount Maunganui College 50m Pool expansion proposal, including ongoing Council support to subsidise the community use of the pool, with: (i) a $4.945m initial 10-year loan-funded operational grant for the pool construction, paid to the Mount Maunganui Aquatic Centre Trust over 2025/26 (2.59m) and 2026/27 ($2.355m), and (ii) up to $340,000 annual operational grant, based on actual net operational costs, on an ongoing basis to meet the extra cost of providing a 50m community pool, as outlined in the Mount Maunganui Aquatic Centre Trust proposal (attachment 4). Subject to: Annual Plan decisions and their impacts on the balanced budget financial benchmark, formal support for the proposal from Ministry of Education and Mount Maunganui College Board of Trustees, and the outcomes of resolution (g). (g) Instructs staff to continue further due diligence and financial modelling, and to work with the Mount Maunganui Aquatic Centre Trust to finalise a funding agreement that provides: (i) the legal and financial framework for the upgrade and ongoing operation of a new 50m pool, (ii) long-term confidence to the Mount Maunganui Aquatic Centre Trust and the Council regarding the financial sustainability of the proposal, and (iii) fair, equitable and safe community use of the pool, including non-structured community open use. (h) If resolution (f) and (g) are not successfully implemented, signal in-principle support for option 2, 33m pool expansion to a wider 33m x 25m pool in 2025/26 and 2026/27 approving: (i) an initial 10-year loan-funded operational grant of $2.6 mil for construction, and (ii) an ongoing operational grant of up to $20,000 to cover the additional cost of meeting PoolSafe requirements, as the alternative preferred option. Subject to Annual Plan decisions and their impacts on the balanced budget financial benchmark and formal support for the proposal from Ministry of Education and Mount Maunganui College Board of Trustees. Aquatic Network Plan (i) Approves the development of an Aquatics Network Plan, as outlined in this report, including targeted stakeholder engagement and broader community consultation. (j) Notes that, subject to the above resolutions, staff will prepare an Aquatic Network Plan that outlines a roadmap for the future of aquatics in Tauranga, including: (i) An aquatic centre at Memorial Park, (ii) Retention of Ōtūmoetai Pool for at least 15 years, and (iii) Support for the development of a 50m training pool at Mount Maunganui College.
Scoop
6 days ago
- Sport
- Scoop
Council Votes On New Aquatic Network Plan
Tauranga City's Mayor and Councillors have voted to support the development of a 50-metre outdoor training pool at Mount Maunganui College and to keep the Ōtūmoetai Swimming Pool up and running. At this week's Annual Plan 2025/26 deliberations, the Council was presented with three key options as part of a draft Aquatics Network Plan, which will outline a roadmap for aquatic facilities in Tauranga. The Council was told site investigations are underway to inform the next step for the Memorial Park Aquatic project. If found to be favourable, a design review will ensure the project has the right scope, design and cost to deliver value for money for the community. Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale says a community survey undertaken at the end of 2024 showed 73% of respondents supported additional aquatic facilities with an indoor 50-metre lane pool ranking the second highest feature in the feedback. He says the initial Memorial Park Aquatic Centre proposal, which had an original budget of $124 million, was inherited from the Commission but he is keen to get a better financial outcome. 'We're committed to delivering value for money, so it's on us to understand what our community wants and consider what cost savings could be possible,' Mahé says. 'I applaud the Mount Maunganui Aquatic Centre Trust for bringing us the 50-metre pool option. It ticks a lot of boxes, and we would provide an Olympic-size pool for Tauranga in the shortest possible timeframe. From a Council perspective, it's probably the most economical pool we could ever build.' The Council is supportive of the 50-metre pool proposal but will continue to work with the Trust and undertake due diligence before releasing the funding. Deputy Mayor Jen Scoular says the Aquatic Network Plan is looking at the bigger picture for Tauranga and delivering what the people of Tauranga have said they want. 'This supports a healthy Tauranga. We want kids learning to swim and being safe in the water. We want them having fun and we've now got some great options on the table.' The Aquatics Network Plan will now be drafted and go back to the Council for endorsement before going out for community consultation. Council Recommendations: Memorial Park Aquatic Centre (c) Notes that the site investigations currently underway for the existing Memorial Pool site (including geotechnical) will be available in early August 2025. If the results are favourable, this could present an opportunity to locate the new Memorial Aquatics Centre on that site and to retain the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre for circa 15 years. Ōtūmoetai Pool (d) Supports the Ōtūmoetai Pool Working Group's recommendations to retain and upgrade the Ōtūmoetai Pool and signals its intent to allocate indicative capital funding of $3.28m (uninflated) in 2027/28 and $2.43m (uninflated) in 2032/33 through the next Long-Term Plan in line with those recommendations. (e) Notes that if the Ōtūmoetai Pool is retained in the network the Development Contributions Policy will need to be amended to reflect the implications of that decision. Mount Maunganui College 50-metre pool (f) Confirms in-principle support for the Mount Maunganui College 50m Pool expansion proposal, including ongoing Council support to subsidise the community use of the pool, with: (i) a $4.945m initial 10-year loan-funded operational grant for the pool construction, paid to the Mount Maunganui Aquatic Centre Trust over 2025/26 (2.59m) and 2026/27 ($2.355m), and (ii) up to $340,000 annual operational grant, based on actual net operational costs, on an ongoing basis to meet the extra cost of providing a 50m community pool, as outlined in the Mount Maunganui Aquatic Centre Trust proposal (attachment 4). Subject to: Annual Plan decisions and their impacts on the balanced budget financial benchmark, formal support for the proposal from Ministry of Education and Mount Maunganui College Board of Trustees, and the outcomes of resolution (g). (g) Instructs staff to continue further due diligence and financial modelling, and to work with the Mount Maunganui Aquatic Centre Trust to finalise a funding agreement that provides: (i) the legal and financial framework for the upgrade and ongoing operation of a new 50m pool, (ii) long-term confidence to the Mount Maunganui Aquatic Centre Trust and the Council regarding the financial sustainability of the proposal, and (iii) fair, equitable and safe community use of the pool, including non-structured community open use. (h) If resolution (f) and (g) are not successfully implemented, signal in-principle support for option 2, 33m pool expansion to a wider 33m x 25m pool in 2025/26 and 2026/27 approving: (i) an initial 10-year loan-funded operational grant of $2.6 mil for construction, and (ii) an ongoing operational grant of up to $20,000 to cover the additional cost of meeting PoolSafe requirements, as the alternative preferred option. Subject to Annual Plan decisions and their impacts on the balanced budget financial benchmark and formal support for the proposal from Ministry of Education and Mount Maunganui College Board of Trustees. Aquatic Network Plan (i) Approves the development of an Aquatics Network Plan, as outlined in this report, including targeted stakeholder engagement and broader community consultation. (j) Notes that, subject to the above resolutions, staff will prepare an Aquatic Network Plan that outlines a roadmap for the future of aquatics in Tauranga, including: (i) An aquatic centre at Memorial Park, (ii) Retention of Ōtūmoetai Pool for at least 15 years, and (iii) Support for the development of a 50m training pool at Mount Maunganui College.
