More than $60M in capital works planned for the 2023/2024 year have been pushed back after Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) re-forecasting, sparking the disappointment of two Wānaka councillors. 

Councillors approved a reduction in the capital works programme to $178M for 2023/2024 at yesterday’s (Thursday December 14) full council meeting - part of a quarterly review of the programme.

Mayor Glyn Lewers said the council could not deliver “anything near” the $240M+ originally forecasted.

“This is a more pragmatic view of what can be delivered,” he said. 

The majority of deferrals were for projects in wastewater ($35.1M), followed by stormwater ($8.6M), buildings and libraries ($8.3M), waste management ($6.5M), water supply ($3.5M), venues and facilities ($2.1M), transport ($1.5M), parks and reserves ($0.6M), and $1.1M for ‘other’.

“We’ve simply got too much capex [capital expenditure] to deliver over this year,” QLDC general manager assurance, finance and risk Stewart Burn said.

He said the council had had to take a “reprioritisation approach”.

“We are continuing with the projects we must do and any projects that do not fit the criteria we have deferred.”

QLDC deputy mayor Quentin Smith and councillor Lyal Cocks expressed disappointment over some of the deferrals.

Lyal questioned the decision to drastically reduce the budget for 101 Ballantyne Road from over $4M down to $25,000 for the year. 

Councillor Lyal Cocks also questioned the decision to reduce the budget for 101 Ballantyne Road. PHOTO: Supplied

The 20-hectare site, formerly the oxidation ponds, has been earmarked for a green space and sports fields.

Quentin said the deferrals “put us a bit on the back foot”, noting that some of the deferred projects, including 101 Ballantyne Road, had been identified as strategic priorities.

“While I know there are constraints in the market, there are things that could have been delivered,” Quentin said.

The next review of the capital works programme will take place in April 2024.