Several dozen locals from the northern suburbs of Wellington staged a protest this morning outside the historic Khandallah pool, which could be shut permanently later this year.
Closing the swimming facility, which turns 100 next month, is one of the proposals made by the Wellington City Council this week at its Long-Term Plan meeting, as it looks to pay for ballooning costs.
Among the financial pressures discussed by councillors; rising insurance rates, inflation, town hall repairs, earthquake strengthening buildings and paying $1.8 billion worth of urgently needed water infrastructure upgrades.
The city has been plagued by leaks from its ageing water pipes and has so far avoided the need for further water restrictions, which currently ban outdoor sprinklers.
Khandallah local John McGrath said the cost of urgently needed repair work at the swimming pool pales in comparison to what is needed for water infrastructure.
"They have fundamental decisions to make, but stripping community assets that have been part of the community for 100 years is not the way to go," McGrath said.
Other cost saving measures proposed by the council include introducing parking charges in all suburban town centres, selling its shares in Wellington Airport, congestion charges and a rate rise of 15.4%.
"We are working in a very tough economic environment," Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau told councillors on Thursday.
"This has been a very difficult budget to put together and that is consistent with every other council around the country," she said.
Last year Hamilton City Council proposed a rate rise this year of more than 25%, as other councils around the country grapple with similar rising costs.
Local Government New Zealand President Sam Broughton said councils are restricted in how they can pay for community assets, with rates and debt the only two mechanisms they have.
"The current funding model for local government is unsustainable. New Zealand is one of the most overly centralised countries in the OECD and most of our money is collected centrally," Broughton said.
He said many councils would like to see the government share extra revenue generated in communities.
"At the moment, whenever there is growth councils pay for that growth through the infrastructure and receive very little back," he said.
"The GDP from the jobs is collected by government and GST is collected by government".
In a statement, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown said the government was open to looking at alternative ways to fund council infrastructure.
He highlighted the repeal of Three Waters legislation and the upcoming National Infrastructure Agency as ways of easing costs.
The Wellington City Council's Long-Term Plan will go out for consultation in April and May, with public hearings to take place before the plan is adopted in June.
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