You are a professional news rewriter and editor.
Work only with the content inside
Following votes, rejections and lapsed motions late in the day at what descended into an extraordinary council meeting yesterday, councillors were forced back to the drawing board.
‘‘No-one wants to be in this position,’’ Mayor Mel Tavendale said.
The Waitaki District Council consulted on 19%, 27% and 45% proposed rates rises during a two-week consultation.
First, councillors narrowly rejected the 19% proposed by Mrs Tavendale, after which there was an even bigger rejection of just under 45% put forward by Cr Sven Thelning. Then the 27% lapsed and an 18.1% was lost.
A motion by Cr Jim Hopkins to commit to resolve a number before June 30, when rates are officially set, also lapsed for want of a seconder.
‘‘We basically need to come out of this meeting with a number,’’ director of support services Paul Hope told councillors.
Following crunch talks in the coffee room, councillors emerged and ‘‘reluctantly’’ endorsed the 22%.
They did so with the caveat of an amendment from deputy mayor Rebecca Ryan, amended by Cr Frans Schlack, that officers continue to identify and implement efficiencies, savings opportunities and income generation during the 2026-27 financial year and report to the performance, audit and risk committee.
Crs Courtney Linwood, Dan Lewis, Schlack, Brent Cowles, Thelning and Ryan and Mrs Tavendale voted for.
Crs Jeremy Holding, John McCone, Hana Melania Fanene-Taiti and Hopkins voted against.
Mrs Tavendale said it was a ‘‘really challenging situation’’ and she wanted to acknowledge the ‘‘hurt out there’’.
The mayor also asked officers to investigate leniency around rates arrears.
Cr Cowling said councillors had to be ‘‘bold now’’ in order to to get the ‘‘right future for future generations’’.
Cr Fanene-Taiti said this was a ‘‘really challenging conversation for her’’. She said she worked with vulnerable families ‘‘every single day’’, families who could not afford rent and electricity.
She could endorse 15%-16% at most and there was ‘‘barely anything in the community for that’’.
Cr Hopkins called the 22% ‘‘reckless’’ and said the public consultation was a ‘‘clear barometer’’ of how people felt about the rates options.
More than 580 submissions to the public consultation were received, a record for an annual plan, and hundreds turned out across three community meetings across the district, with more than 500 alone at the Oamaru Opera House.
On Tuesday, elected representatives also pointed to ‘‘tough’’ long-term plan discussions to come with a ‘‘huge’’ amount of work left to do.
Mrs Tavendale said there had been a ‘‘huge amount of feedback’’ and councillors had to find a ‘‘palatable way through’’, which she admitted was ‘‘not easy’’.
‘‘The way forward is finding more sustainable ways of operating.’’
The key directions discussed yesterday were described as an ‘‘essential part of the process’’ to give officers final direction and enable the adoption of the 2026-27 annual plan and setting of the rates at a meeting on June 30.
Earlier in the meeting, councillors pored through — and turned down — requests for funding from:
The Oamaru and Waitaki Visitor Information Centre ($150,000).
Grainstore Gallery ($6300).
Waitaki Recreation Centre ($90,000, and a proposal for $60,000 was also rejected).
North Otago Sustainable Land Management ($10,000).
East Otago Catchment Group ($10,000).
.
SOURCE-BOUND RULES:
– Use only the facts, names, dates, numbers, quotes, titles, roles, affiliations, legal characterizations, and other details explicitly present in
Following votes, rejections and lapsed motions late in the day at what descended into an extraordinary council meeting yesterday, councillors were forced back to the drawing board.
‘‘No-one wants to be in this position,’’ Mayor Mel Tavendale said.
The Waitaki District Council consulted on 19%, 27% and 45% proposed rates rises during a two-week consultation.
First, councillors narrowly rejected the 19% proposed by Mrs Tavendale, after which there was an even bigger rejection of just under 45% put forward by Cr Sven Thelning. Then the 27% lapsed and an 18.1% was lost.
A motion by Cr Jim Hopkins to commit to resolve a number before June 30, when rates are officially set, also lapsed for want of a seconder.
‘‘We basically need to come out of this meeting with a number,’’ director of support services Paul Hope told councillors.
Following crunch talks in the coffee room, councillors emerged and ‘‘reluctantly’’ endorsed the 22%.
They did so with the caveat of an amendment from deputy mayor Rebecca Ryan, amended by Cr Frans Schlack, that officers continue to identify and implement efficiencies, savings opportunities and income generation during the 2026-27 financial year and report to the performance, audit and risk committee.
Crs Courtney Linwood, Dan Lewis, Schlack, Brent Cowles, Thelning and Ryan and Mrs Tavendale voted for.
Crs Jeremy Holding, John McCone, Hana Melania Fanene-Taiti and Hopkins voted against.
Mrs Tavendale said it was a ‘‘really challenging situation’’ and she wanted to acknowledge the ‘‘hurt out there’’.
The mayor also asked officers to investigate leniency around rates arrears.
Cr Cowling said councillors had to be ‘‘bold now’’ in order to to get the ‘‘right future for future generations’’.
Cr Fanene-Taiti said this was a ‘‘really challenging conversation for her’’. She said she worked with vulnerable families ‘‘every single day’’, families who could not afford rent and electricity.
She could endorse 15%-16% at most and there was ‘‘barely anything in the community for that’’.
Cr Hopkins called the 22% ‘‘reckless’’ and said the public consultation was a ‘‘clear barometer’’ of how people felt about the rates options.
More than 580 submissions to the public consultation were received, a record for an annual plan, and hundreds turned out across three community meetings across the district, with more than 500 alone at the Oamaru Opera House.
On Tuesday, elected representatives also pointed to ‘‘tough’’ long-term plan discussions to come with a ‘‘huge’’ amount of work left to do.
Mrs Tavendale said there had been a ‘‘huge amount of feedback’’ and councillors had to find a ‘‘palatable way through’’, which she admitted was ‘‘not easy’’.
‘‘The way forward is finding more sustainable ways of operating.’’
The key directions discussed yesterday were described as an ‘‘essential part of the process’’ to give officers final direction and enable the adoption of the 2026-27 annual plan and setting of the rates at a meeting on June 30.
Earlier in the meeting, councillors pored through — and turned down — requests for funding from:
The Oamaru and Waitaki Visitor Information Centre ($150,000).
Grainstore Gallery ($6300).
Waitaki Recreation Centre ($90,000, and a proposal for $60,000 was also rejected).
North Otago Sustainable Land Management ($10,000).
East Otago Catchment Group ($10,000).
.
– Do not add, infer, update, correct, or supplement anything from memory or outside knowledge.
– Do not add new facts, dates, numbers, quotations, positions, statuses, titles, biographical details, organization names, or legal assessments if they are not present in
Following votes, rejections and lapsed motions late in the day at what descended into an extraordinary council meeting yesterday, councillors were forced back to the drawing board.
‘‘No-one wants to be in this position,’’ Mayor Mel Tavendale said.
The Waitaki District Council consulted on 19%, 27% and 45% proposed rates rises during a two-week consultation.
First, councillors narrowly rejected the 19% proposed by Mrs Tavendale, after which there was an even bigger rejection of just under 45% put forward by Cr Sven Thelning. Then the 27% lapsed and an 18.1% was lost.
A motion by Cr Jim Hopkins to commit to resolve a number before June 30, when rates are officially set, also lapsed for want of a seconder.
‘‘We basically need to come out of this meeting with a number,’’ director of support services Paul Hope told councillors.
Following crunch talks in the coffee room, councillors emerged and ‘‘reluctantly’’ endorsed the 22%.
They did so with the caveat of an amendment from deputy mayor Rebecca Ryan, amended by Cr Frans Schlack, that officers continue to identify and implement efficiencies, savings opportunities and income generation during the 2026-27 financial year and report to the performance, audit and risk committee.
Crs Courtney Linwood, Dan Lewis, Schlack, Brent Cowles, Thelning and Ryan and Mrs Tavendale voted for.
Crs Jeremy Holding, John McCone, Hana Melania Fanene-Taiti and Hopkins voted against.
Mrs Tavendale said it was a ‘‘really challenging situation’’ and she wanted to acknowledge the ‘‘hurt out there’’.
The mayor also asked officers to investigate leniency around rates arrears.
Cr Cowling said councillors had to be ‘‘bold now’’ in order to to get the ‘‘right future for future generations’’.
Cr Fanene-Taiti said this was a ‘‘really challenging conversation for her’’. She said she worked with vulnerable families ‘‘every single day’’, families who could not afford rent and electricity.
She could endorse 15%-16% at most and there was ‘‘barely anything in the community for that’’.
Cr Hopkins called the 22% ‘‘reckless’’ and said the public consultation was a ‘‘clear barometer’’ of how people felt about the rates options.
More than 580 submissions to the public consultation were received, a record for an annual plan, and hundreds turned out across three community meetings across the district, with more than 500 alone at the Oamaru Opera House.
On Tuesday, elected representatives also pointed to ‘‘tough’’ long-term plan discussions to come with a ‘‘huge’’ amount of work left to do.
Mrs Tavendale said there had been a ‘‘huge amount of feedback’’ and councillors had to find a ‘‘palatable way through’’, which she admitted was ‘‘not easy’’.
‘‘The way forward is finding more sustainable ways of operating.’’
The key directions discussed yesterday were described as an ‘‘essential part of the process’’ to give officers final direction and enable the adoption of the 2026-27 annual plan and setting of the rates at a meeting on June 30.
Earlier in the meeting, councillors pored through — and turned down — requests for funding from:
The Oamaru and Waitaki Visitor Information Centre ($150,000).
Grainstore Gallery ($6300).
Waitaki Recreation Centre ($90,000, and a proposal for $60,000 was also rejected).
North Otago Sustainable Land Management ($10,000).
East Otago Catchment Group ($10,000).
.
– Do not “fix” or “update” public figures, offices, or events from memory.
– Do not use the words “former,” “current,” “incumbent,” “ex-,” or similar status indicators unless those exact meanings are explicitly present in
Following votes, rejections and lapsed motions late in the day at what descended into an extraordinary council meeting yesterday, councillors were forced back to the drawing board.
‘‘No-one wants to be in this position,’’ Mayor Mel Tavendale said.
The Waitaki District Council consulted on 19%, 27% and 45% proposed rates rises during a two-week consultation.
First, councillors narrowly rejected the 19% proposed by Mrs Tavendale, after which there was an even bigger rejection of just under 45% put forward by Cr Sven Thelning. Then the 27% lapsed and an 18.1% was lost.
A motion by Cr Jim Hopkins to commit to resolve a number before June 30, when rates are officially set, also lapsed for want of a seconder.
‘‘We basically need to come out of this meeting with a number,’’ director of support services Paul Hope told councillors.
Following crunch talks in the coffee room, councillors emerged and ‘‘reluctantly’’ endorsed the 22%.
They did so with the caveat of an amendment from deputy mayor Rebecca Ryan, amended by Cr Frans Schlack, that officers continue to identify and implement efficiencies, savings opportunities and income generation during the 2026-27 financial year and report to the performance, audit and risk committee.
Crs Courtney Linwood, Dan Lewis, Schlack, Brent Cowles, Thelning and Ryan and Mrs Tavendale voted for.
Crs Jeremy Holding, John McCone, Hana Melania Fanene-Taiti and Hopkins voted against.
Mrs Tavendale said it was a ‘‘really challenging situation’’ and she wanted to acknowledge the ‘‘hurt out there’’.
The mayor also asked officers to investigate leniency around rates arrears.
Cr Cowling said councillors had to be ‘‘bold now’’ in order to to get the ‘‘right future for future generations’’.
Cr Fanene-Taiti said this was a ‘‘really challenging conversation for her’’. She said she worked with vulnerable families ‘‘every single day’’, families who could not afford rent and electricity.
She could endorse 15%-16% at most and there was ‘‘barely anything in the community for that’’.
Cr Hopkins called the 22% ‘‘reckless’’ and said the public consultation was a ‘‘clear barometer’’ of how people felt about the rates options.
More than 580 submissions to the public consultation were received, a record for an annual plan, and hundreds turned out across three community meetings across the district, with more than 500 alone at the Oamaru Opera House.
On Tuesday, elected representatives also pointed to ‘‘tough’’ long-term plan discussions to come with a ‘‘huge’’ amount of work left to do.
Mrs Tavendale said there had been a ‘‘huge amount of feedback’’ and councillors had to find a ‘‘palatable way through’’, which she admitted was ‘‘not easy’’.
‘‘The way forward is finding more sustainable ways of operating.’’
The key directions discussed yesterday were described as an ‘‘essential part of the process’’ to give officers final direction and enable the adoption of the 2026-27 annual plan and setting of the rates at a meeting on June 30.
Earlier in the meeting, councillors pored through — and turned down — requests for funding from:
The Oamaru and Waitaki Visitor Information Centre ($150,000).
Grainstore Gallery ($6300).
Waitaki Recreation Centre ($90,000, and a proposal for $60,000 was also rejected).
North Otago Sustainable Land Management ($10,000).
East Otago Catchment Group ($10,000).
.
– If a person’s exact status is not specified in
Following votes, rejections and lapsed motions late in the day at what descended into an extraordinary council meeting yesterday, councillors were forced back to the drawing board.
‘‘No-one wants to be in this position,’’ Mayor Mel Tavendale said.
The Waitaki District Council consulted on 19%, 27% and 45% proposed rates rises during a two-week consultation.
First, councillors narrowly rejected the 19% proposed by Mrs Tavendale, after which there was an even bigger rejection of just under 45% put forward by Cr Sven Thelning. Then the 27% lapsed and an 18.1% was lost.
A motion by Cr Jim Hopkins to commit to resolve a number before June 30, when rates are officially set, also lapsed for want of a seconder.
‘‘We basically need to come out of this meeting with a number,’’ director of support services Paul Hope told councillors.
Following crunch talks in the coffee room, councillors emerged and ‘‘reluctantly’’ endorsed the 22%.
They did so with the caveat of an amendment from deputy mayor Rebecca Ryan, amended by Cr Frans Schlack, that officers continue to identify and implement efficiencies, savings opportunities and income generation during the 2026-27 financial year and report to the performance, audit and risk committee.
Crs Courtney Linwood, Dan Lewis, Schlack, Brent Cowles, Thelning and Ryan and Mrs Tavendale voted for.
Crs Jeremy Holding, John McCone, Hana Melania Fanene-Taiti and Hopkins voted against.
Mrs Tavendale said it was a ‘‘really challenging situation’’ and she wanted to acknowledge the ‘‘hurt out there’’.
The mayor also asked officers to investigate leniency around rates arrears.
Cr Cowling said councillors had to be ‘‘bold now’’ in order to to get the ‘‘right future for future generations’’.
Cr Fanene-Taiti said this was a ‘‘really challenging conversation for her’’. She said she worked with vulnerable families ‘‘every single day’’, families who could not afford rent and electricity.
She could endorse 15%-16% at most and there was ‘‘barely anything in the community for that’’.
Cr Hopkins called the 22% ‘‘reckless’’ and said the public consultation was a ‘‘clear barometer’’ of how people felt about the rates options.
More than 580 submissions to the public consultation were received, a record for an annual plan, and hundreds turned out across three community meetings across the district, with more than 500 alone at the Oamaru Opera House.
On Tuesday, elected representatives also pointed to ‘‘tough’’ long-term plan discussions to come with a ‘‘huge’’ amount of work left to do.
Mrs Tavendale said there had been a ‘‘huge amount of feedback’’ and councillors had to find a ‘‘palatable way through’’, which she admitted was ‘‘not easy’’.
‘‘The way forward is finding more sustainable ways of operating.’’
The key directions discussed yesterday were described as an ‘‘essential part of the process’’ to give officers final direction and enable the adoption of the 2026-27 annual plan and setting of the rates at a meeting on June 30.
Earlier in the meeting, councillors pored through — and turned down — requests for funding from:
The Oamaru and Waitaki Visitor Information Centre ($150,000).
Grainstore Gallery ($6300).
Waitaki Recreation Centre ($90,000, and a proposal for $60,000 was also rejected).
North Otago Sustainable Land Management ($10,000).
East Otago Catchment Group ($10,000).
, refer to them neutrally by name only.
– If the material describes past events, use neutral timing language only when needed for clarity, such as “at that time,” “then,” or “during that period.”
– Do not add external sources, statistics, research, comparisons, background, or up-to-date data.
– Do not add historical context, global context, or explanatory context unless it already appears in
Following votes, rejections and lapsed motions late in the day at what descended into an extraordinary council meeting yesterday, councillors were forced back to the drawing board.
‘‘No-one wants to be in this position,’’ Mayor Mel Tavendale said.
The Waitaki District Council consulted on 19%, 27% and 45% proposed rates rises during a two-week consultation.
First, councillors narrowly rejected the 19% proposed by Mrs Tavendale, after which there was an even bigger rejection of just under 45% put forward by Cr Sven Thelning. Then the 27% lapsed and an 18.1% was lost.
A motion by Cr Jim Hopkins to commit to resolve a number before June 30, when rates are officially set, also lapsed for want of a seconder.
‘‘We basically need to come out of this meeting with a number,’’ director of support services Paul Hope told councillors.
Following crunch talks in the coffee room, councillors emerged and ‘‘reluctantly’’ endorsed the 22%.
They did so with the caveat of an amendment from deputy mayor Rebecca Ryan, amended by Cr Frans Schlack, that officers continue to identify and implement efficiencies, savings opportunities and income generation during the 2026-27 financial year and report to the performance, audit and risk committee.
Crs Courtney Linwood, Dan Lewis, Schlack, Brent Cowles, Thelning and Ryan and Mrs Tavendale voted for.
Crs Jeremy Holding, John McCone, Hana Melania Fanene-Taiti and Hopkins voted against.
Mrs Tavendale said it was a ‘‘really challenging situation’’ and she wanted to acknowledge the ‘‘hurt out there’’.
The mayor also asked officers to investigate leniency around rates arrears.
Cr Cowling said councillors had to be ‘‘bold now’’ in order to to get the ‘‘right future for future generations’’.
Cr Fanene-Taiti said this was a ‘‘really challenging conversation for her’’. She said she worked with vulnerable families ‘‘every single day’’, families who could not afford rent and electricity.
She could endorse 15%-16% at most and there was ‘‘barely anything in the community for that’’.
Cr Hopkins called the 22% ‘‘reckless’’ and said the public consultation was a ‘‘clear barometer’’ of how people felt about the rates options.
More than 580 submissions to the public consultation were received, a record for an annual plan, and hundreds turned out across three community meetings across the district, with more than 500 alone at the Oamaru Opera House.
On Tuesday, elected representatives also pointed to ‘‘tough’’ long-term plan discussions to come with a ‘‘huge’’ amount of work left to do.
Mrs Tavendale said there had been a ‘‘huge amount of feedback’’ and councillors had to find a ‘‘palatable way through’’, which she admitted was ‘‘not easy’’.
‘‘The way forward is finding more sustainable ways of operating.’’
The key directions discussed yesterday were described as an ‘‘essential part of the process’’ to give officers final direction and enable the adoption of the 2026-27 annual plan and setting of the rates at a meeting on June 30.
Earlier in the meeting, councillors pored through — and turned down — requests for funding from:
The Oamaru and Waitaki Visitor Information Centre ($150,000).
Grainstore Gallery ($6300).
Waitaki Recreation Centre ($90,000, and a proposal for $60,000 was also rejected).
North Otago Sustainable Land Management ($10,000).
East Otago Catchment Group ($10,000).
.
REWRITE TASK:
– Completely rewrite the source material in original wording.
– Preserve the key meaning, factual content, and main semantic structure.
– Make the text smoother, clearer, more logical, and easier to read.
– Remove repetition, clichés, bureaucratic phrasing, filler, and awkward wording.
– Improve transitions between paragraphs.
– Make the language more precise and expressive, but never speculative.
– Preserve the tone level of a professional news article.
STRUCTURE:
– Preserve the overall framework and semantic blocks of the source material.
– Do not add new sections unless necessary for coherence.
– Do not turn prose into a list if the original text was not a list.
– Where possible, organize the narrative as thesis → argument → conclusion without changing the substance.
– Keep attribution, uncertainty, and allegations at the same level as in the source. Do not make claims sound stronger or more certain than
Following votes, rejections and lapsed motions late in the day at what descended into an extraordinary council meeting yesterday, councillors were forced back to the drawing board.
‘‘No-one wants to be in this position,’’ Mayor Mel Tavendale said.
The Waitaki District Council consulted on 19%, 27% and 45% proposed rates rises during a two-week consultation.
First, councillors narrowly rejected the 19% proposed by Mrs Tavendale, after which there was an even bigger rejection of just under 45% put forward by Cr Sven Thelning. Then the 27% lapsed and an 18.1% was lost.
A motion by Cr Jim Hopkins to commit to resolve a number before June 30, when rates are officially set, also lapsed for want of a seconder.
‘‘We basically need to come out of this meeting with a number,’’ director of support services Paul Hope told councillors.
Following crunch talks in the coffee room, councillors emerged and ‘‘reluctantly’’ endorsed the 22%.
They did so with the caveat of an amendment from deputy mayor Rebecca Ryan, amended by Cr Frans Schlack, that officers continue to identify and implement efficiencies, savings opportunities and income generation during the 2026-27 financial year and report to the performance, audit and risk committee.
Crs Courtney Linwood, Dan Lewis, Schlack, Brent Cowles, Thelning and Ryan and Mrs Tavendale voted for.
Crs Jeremy Holding, John McCone, Hana Melania Fanene-Taiti and Hopkins voted against.
Mrs Tavendale said it was a ‘‘really challenging situation’’ and she wanted to acknowledge the ‘‘hurt out there’’.
The mayor also asked officers to investigate leniency around rates arrears.
Cr Cowling said councillors had to be ‘‘bold now’’ in order to to get the ‘‘right future for future generations’’.
Cr Fanene-Taiti said this was a ‘‘really challenging conversation for her’’. She said she worked with vulnerable families ‘‘every single day’’, families who could not afford rent and electricity.
She could endorse 15%-16% at most and there was ‘‘barely anything in the community for that’’.
Cr Hopkins called the 22% ‘‘reckless’’ and said the public consultation was a ‘‘clear barometer’’ of how people felt about the rates options.
More than 580 submissions to the public consultation were received, a record for an annual plan, and hundreds turned out across three community meetings across the district, with more than 500 alone at the Oamaru Opera House.
On Tuesday, elected representatives also pointed to ‘‘tough’’ long-term plan discussions to come with a ‘‘huge’’ amount of work left to do.
Mrs Tavendale said there had been a ‘‘huge amount of feedback’’ and councillors had to find a ‘‘palatable way through’’, which she admitted was ‘‘not easy’’.
‘‘The way forward is finding more sustainable ways of operating.’’
The key directions discussed yesterday were described as an ‘‘essential part of the process’’ to give officers final direction and enable the adoption of the 2026-27 annual plan and setting of the rates at a meeting on June 30.
Earlier in the meeting, councillors pored through — and turned down — requests for funding from:
The Oamaru and Waitaki Visitor Information Centre ($150,000).
Grainstore Gallery ($6300).
Waitaki Recreation Centre ($90,000, and a proposal for $60,000 was also rejected).
North Otago Sustainable Land Management ($10,000).
East Otago Catchment Group ($10,000).
does.
HTML PRESERVATION:
– Preserve the HTML structure from
Following votes, rejections and lapsed motions late in the day at what descended into an extraordinary council meeting yesterday, councillors were forced back to the drawing board.
‘‘No-one wants to be in this position,’’ Mayor Mel Tavendale said.
The Waitaki District Council consulted on 19%, 27% and 45% proposed rates rises during a two-week consultation.
First, councillors narrowly rejected the 19% proposed by Mrs Tavendale, after which there was an even bigger rejection of just under 45% put forward by Cr Sven Thelning. Then the 27% lapsed and an 18.1% was lost.
A motion by Cr Jim Hopkins to commit to resolve a number before June 30, when rates are officially set, also lapsed for want of a seconder.
‘‘We basically need to come out of this meeting with a number,’’ director of support services Paul Hope told councillors.
Following crunch talks in the coffee room, councillors emerged and ‘‘reluctantly’’ endorsed the 22%.
They did so with the caveat of an amendment from deputy mayor Rebecca Ryan, amended by Cr Frans Schlack, that officers continue to identify and implement efficiencies, savings opportunities and income generation during the 2026-27 financial year and report to the performance, audit and risk committee.
Crs Courtney Linwood, Dan Lewis, Schlack, Brent Cowles, Thelning and Ryan and Mrs Tavendale voted for.
Crs Jeremy Holding, John McCone, Hana Melania Fanene-Taiti and Hopkins voted against.
Mrs Tavendale said it was a ‘‘really challenging situation’’ and she wanted to acknowledge the ‘‘hurt out there’’.
The mayor also asked officers to investigate leniency around rates arrears.
Cr Cowling said councillors had to be ‘‘bold now’’ in order to to get the ‘‘right future for future generations’’.
Cr Fanene-Taiti said this was a ‘‘really challenging conversation for her’’. She said she worked with vulnerable families ‘‘every single day’’, families who could not afford rent and electricity.
She could endorse 15%-16% at most and there was ‘‘barely anything in the community for that’’.
Cr Hopkins called the 22% ‘‘reckless’’ and said the public consultation was a ‘‘clear barometer’’ of how people felt about the rates options.
More than 580 submissions to the public consultation were received, a record for an annual plan, and hundreds turned out across three community meetings across the district, with more than 500 alone at the Oamaru Opera House.
On Tuesday, elected representatives also pointed to ‘‘tough’’ long-term plan discussions to come with a ‘‘huge’’ amount of work left to do.
Mrs Tavendale said there had been a ‘‘huge amount of feedback’’ and councillors had to find a ‘‘palatable way through’’, which she admitted was ‘‘not easy’’.
‘‘The way forward is finding more sustainable ways of operating.’’
The key directions discussed yesterday were described as an ‘‘essential part of the process’’ to give officers final direction and enable the adoption of the 2026-27 annual plan and setting of the rates at a meeting on June 30.
Earlier in the meeting, councillors pored through — and turned down — requests for funding from:
The Oamaru and Waitaki Visitor Information Centre ($150,000).
Grainstore Gallery ($6300).
Waitaki Recreation Centre ($90,000, and a proposal for $60,000 was also rejected).
North Otago Sustainable Land Management ($10,000).
East Otago Catchment Group ($10,000).
.
– Keep headings, paragraphs, lists, emphasis tags, links, and other HTML elements intact.
– Do not remove, break, reorder, or corrupt HTML tags.
– Do not add markdown.
– Do not add comments, labels, notes, or explanations.
– Output must be ready for direct insertion into WordPress.
STYLE:
– Write in natural, fluent, clear English.
– Avoid dry mechanical paraphrasing.
– Avoid melodrama, exaggeration, and editorializing.
– Avoid template phrases such as “it should be noted,” “this situation demonstrates,” “one cannot fail to mention,” “in today’s world,” or similar filler.
– Avoid repeating the same idea in slightly different words.
– Keep the article readable, cohesive, and human-sounding.
PROHIBITED OUTPUT:
– Do not write “Sorry, I can’t help with that.”
– Do not write “as an AI.”
– Do not write “I cannot,” “I can’t,” “I’m unable,” or any service disclaimer.
– Do not mention policies, safety rules, limitations, or rewriting instructions.
– Do not output anything except the rewritten HTML/article content.
FINAL CHECK BEFORE OUTPUT:
– Ensure every factual element comes only from
Following votes, rejections and lapsed motions late in the day at what descended into an extraordinary council meeting yesterday, councillors were forced back to the drawing board.
‘‘No-one wants to be in this position,’’ Mayor Mel Tavendale said.
The Waitaki District Council consulted on 19%, 27% and 45% proposed rates rises during a two-week consultation.
First, councillors narrowly rejected the 19% proposed by Mrs Tavendale, after which there was an even bigger rejection of just under 45% put forward by Cr Sven Thelning. Then the 27% lapsed and an 18.1% was lost.
A motion by Cr Jim Hopkins to commit to resolve a number before June 30, when rates are officially set, also lapsed for want of a seconder.
‘‘We basically need to come out of this meeting with a number,’’ director of support services Paul Hope told councillors.
Following crunch talks in the coffee room, councillors emerged and ‘‘reluctantly’’ endorsed the 22%.
They did so with the caveat of an amendment from deputy mayor Rebecca Ryan, amended by Cr Frans Schlack, that officers continue to identify and implement efficiencies, savings opportunities and income generation during the 2026-27 financial year and report to the performance, audit and risk committee.
Crs Courtney Linwood, Dan Lewis, Schlack, Brent Cowles, Thelning and Ryan and Mrs Tavendale voted for.
Crs Jeremy Holding, John McCone, Hana Melania Fanene-Taiti and Hopkins voted against.
Mrs Tavendale said it was a ‘‘really challenging situation’’ and she wanted to acknowledge the ‘‘hurt out there’’.
The mayor also asked officers to investigate leniency around rates arrears.
Cr Cowling said councillors had to be ‘‘bold now’’ in order to to get the ‘‘right future for future generations’’.
Cr Fanene-Taiti said this was a ‘‘really challenging conversation for her’’. She said she worked with vulnerable families ‘‘every single day’’, families who could not afford rent and electricity.
She could endorse 15%-16% at most and there was ‘‘barely anything in the community for that’’.
Cr Hopkins called the 22% ‘‘reckless’’ and said the public consultation was a ‘‘clear barometer’’ of how people felt about the rates options.
More than 580 submissions to the public consultation were received, a record for an annual plan, and hundreds turned out across three community meetings across the district, with more than 500 alone at the Oamaru Opera House.
On Tuesday, elected representatives also pointed to ‘‘tough’’ long-term plan discussions to come with a ‘‘huge’’ amount of work left to do.
Mrs Tavendale said there had been a ‘‘huge amount of feedback’’ and councillors had to find a ‘‘palatable way through’’, which she admitted was ‘‘not easy’’.
‘‘The way forward is finding more sustainable ways of operating.’’
The key directions discussed yesterday were described as an ‘‘essential part of the process’’ to give officers final direction and enable the adoption of the 2026-27 annual plan and setting of the rates at a meeting on June 30.
Earlier in the meeting, councillors pored through — and turned down — requests for funding from:
The Oamaru and Waitaki Visitor Information Centre ($150,000).
Grainstore Gallery ($6300).
Waitaki Recreation Centre ($90,000, and a proposal for $60,000 was also rejected).
North Otago Sustainable Land Management ($10,000).
East Otago Catchment Group ($10,000).
.
– Ensure no new status labels or title updates were introduced.
– Ensure HTML remains valid and usable in WordPress.
– Ensure the final result is only the rewritten article text.
Rewrite
Following votes, rejections and lapsed motions late in the day at what descended into an extraordinary council meeting yesterday, councillors were forced back to the drawing board.
‘‘No-one wants to be in this position,’’ Mayor Mel Tavendale said.
The Waitaki District Council consulted on 19%, 27% and 45% proposed rates rises during a two-week consultation.
First, councillors narrowly rejected the 19% proposed by Mrs Tavendale, after which there was an even bigger rejection of just under 45% put forward by Cr Sven Thelning. Then the 27% lapsed and an 18.1% was lost.
A motion by Cr Jim Hopkins to commit to resolve a number before June 30, when rates are officially set, also lapsed for want of a seconder.
‘‘We basically need to come out of this meeting with a number,’’ director of support services Paul Hope told councillors.
Following crunch talks in the coffee room, councillors emerged and ‘‘reluctantly’’ endorsed the 22%.
They did so with the caveat of an amendment from deputy mayor Rebecca Ryan, amended by Cr Frans Schlack, that officers continue to identify and implement efficiencies, savings opportunities and income generation during the 2026-27 financial year and report to the performance, audit and risk committee.
Crs Courtney Linwood, Dan Lewis, Schlack, Brent Cowles, Thelning and Ryan and Mrs Tavendale voted for.
Crs Jeremy Holding, John McCone, Hana Melania Fanene-Taiti and Hopkins voted against.
Mrs Tavendale said it was a ‘‘really challenging situation’’ and she wanted to acknowledge the ‘‘hurt out there’’.
The mayor also asked officers to investigate leniency around rates arrears.
Cr Cowling said councillors had to be ‘‘bold now’’ in order to to get the ‘‘right future for future generations’’.
Cr Fanene-Taiti said this was a ‘‘really challenging conversation for her’’. She said she worked with vulnerable families ‘‘every single day’’, families who could not afford rent and electricity.
She could endorse 15%-16% at most and there was ‘‘barely anything in the community for that’’.
Cr Hopkins called the 22% ‘‘reckless’’ and said the public consultation was a ‘‘clear barometer’’ of how people felt about the rates options.
More than 580 submissions to the public consultation were received, a record for an annual plan, and hundreds turned out across three community meetings across the district, with more than 500 alone at the Oamaru Opera House.
On Tuesday, elected representatives also pointed to ‘‘tough’’ long-term plan discussions to come with a ‘‘huge’’ amount of work left to do.
Mrs Tavendale said there had been a ‘‘huge amount of feedback’’ and councillors had to find a ‘‘palatable way through’’, which she admitted was ‘‘not easy’’.
‘‘The way forward is finding more sustainable ways of operating.’’
The key directions discussed yesterday were described as an ‘‘essential part of the process’’ to give officers final direction and enable the adoption of the 2026-27 annual plan and setting of the rates at a meeting on June 30.
Earlier in the meeting, councillors pored through — and turned down — requests for funding from:
The Oamaru and Waitaki Visitor Information Centre ($150,000).
Grainstore Gallery ($6300).
Waitaki Recreation Centre ($90,000, and a proposal for $60,000 was also rejected).
North Otago Sustainable Land Management ($10,000).
East Otago Catchment Group ($10,000).
now.
