2025 Local Elections

Mayor of Lower Hutt

The mayor is the leader of the council. Their job is to promote a vision for the city and lead the development of the council’s plans, policies and budget. The mayor appoints the deputy mayor, establishes committees for particular topics, and appoints chairs for those committees. This is a first past the post (FPP) election, so you vote by ticking the name of your preferred candidate on your ballot paper. Compare the candidates and their policies to decide who to vote for in the Lower Hutt City Council mayoral election.

Candidates

Policies

Choose a topic to compare

Climate change and resilience

Climate change and resilience

Environment

Environment

Housing and planning

Housing and planning

Jobs and economy

Jobs and economy

Local democracy

Local democracy

Rates and revenue

Rates and revenue

Recreation and culture

Recreation and culture

Transport

Transport

Utilities and services

Utilities and services

Rates and revenue

The work of local government is funded mainly by property taxes in the local area, known as rates. This makes up around 60% of council expenditure, with the rest coming from user charges, investment income, regulatory fees and roading subsidies. Councils can also borrow money to spread the cost of large investments such as infrastructure over a longer period of time.

Rates and revenue

The work of local government is funded mainly by property taxes in the local area, known as rates. This makes up around 60% of council expenditure, with the rest coming from user charges, investment income, regulatory fees and roading subsidies. Councils can also borrow money to spread the cost of large investments such as infrastructure over a longer period of time.

  • Implement an independent review of the current rates increase to determine if there are opportunities to reduce expenditure.

    Review the city parking charges and consider how the revenue could be used to support the local business community.

    Consider how the hardship provisions are applied to rates invoices, recognising that people are suffering with cost of living increases.

  • Conduct a line-by-line review of council spending to cut any waste and prioritise essentials.

    Keep rates affordable by focusing on core services before adding new projects.

    Use debt only to spread the cost of big projects fairly across generations.

  • Implement an independent review of the current rates increase to determine if there are opportunities to reduce expenditure.

    Review the city parking charges and consider how the revenue could be used to support the local business community.

    Consider how the hardship provisions are applied to rates invoices, recognising that people are suffering with cost of living increases.

  • Conduct a line-by-line review of council spending to cut any waste and prioritise essentials.

    Keep rates affordable by focusing on core services before adding new projects.

    Use debt only to spread the cost of big projects fairly across generations.

Climate change and resilience

Climate change and resilience

Environment

Environment

Housing and planning

Housing and planning

Jobs and economy

Jobs and economy

Local democracy

Local democracy

Rates and revenue

Rates and revenue

Recreation and culture

Recreation and culture

Transport

Transport

Utilities and services

Utilities and services

Mayor

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Local council

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Regional council

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Local board

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