Skip to main content Skip to page navigation

Where the money goes

COVID-19 rates update

On 2 April 2020 the Council agreed to a package of measures to help alleviate financial stress faced by many businesses and households in our city as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The package includes offering a rates payment extension of up to six months for eligible ratepayers who are experiencing financial hardship because of the pandemic, and a three month rent holiday for some of the Council's commercial tenants.

You can read more on Newsline or find out more about eligibility and how to apply for a rates payment extension.

Unite Against Covid-19, visit covid19.govt.nz

Read more

The Council gets its money from a range of sources, including rates, borrowing, and money from user charges and government grants, especially from NZTA for roading.

This section outlines how much money comes from each source and what we will spend it on this year, including both operating spending and capital investment.

Where the money comes from

In 2019/2020, only 50% of our total funding will come from your rates, as shown in the table below.

Sources of Council funding %
Rates 50%
Transfers from reserves 17%
Fees, charges, grants and subsidies 15%
Dividends and interest 8%
Capital grants and subsidies 4%
Borrowing 3%
Earthquake rebuild recoveries 2%
Development contributions 1%
Total 100%

What we will spend this year

In 2019/2020, we will spend a total of $1.07 billion on operating and capital costs.

The table below shows where the Council plans to spend the funding collected during 2019/20.

Corporate expenses include everything that is not directly related to a single activity; including capital expenditure of $77.6 million and interest costs not reallocated to other Groups of Activities ($71.9 million). Corporate capital expenditure includes Canterbury Multi Use Arena, Strategic Land Acquisitions and IT projects.

Total Council spending, by activity $000 %
Three Waters 236,033 22%
Communities and citizens 187,671 18%
Roads and transport 186,695 17%
Corporate expenses 160,136 15%
Parks, heritage and coastal environment 66,231 6%
Regulatory and compliance  52,204 5%
Refuse disposal 50,946 5%
Debt repayment 47,308 4%
Strategic planning and policy  42,381 4%
Governance 18,103 2%
Housing 17,929 2%
Total 1,065,637

100%