Councillors have adopted the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) Long Term Plan, setting out a significantly scaled-back spending plan for the next ten years.

Mayor Glyn Lewers said the cost of leaky building claims, as well as other rising costs, had “significantly curtailed” what the council was able to deliver in the LTP, and those factors had put council in a “straightjacket”.

QLDC finance manager Stewart Burns, who has had almost three decades with the council, said this was “with no doubt the most difficult” LTP.

Close to 1,000 people made submissions on the draft LTP, with many asking for better facilities at the Snow Farm, a Wānaka performing arts centre, improved and new sports facilities, more active travel funding, and much more.

While the LTP doesn’t deliver on many of the community’s aspirations, councillors said they still hope to find ways to progress them.

“I don’t subscribe to the current government’s view that councils are only about roads and pipes,” deputy mayor Quentin Smith said.

“We do need a range of things for our community including libraries, sports fields, and lots of other things.

“Over the next two to three years we need to find a way to get those kinds of things back into our programme.”

Councillor Lisa Guy said the exclusion of items that are important to the community do not represent a “no”, instead they are a “not yet”, and councillors and council staff would work hard to progress them.

Stewart referenced the huge challenge of “finding a balance” between appropriate service delivery and containing skyrocketing rates.

The LTP comes with an average rates increase of 15.8 percent, though Wānaka residents get off a little easier, with increases ranging from 10.3 percent to 12.48 percent.

“It’s still going to be an unacceptable rates impact for many people,” Quentin said.

Wānaka Ward councillor Lyal Cocks said the process had shown that “relying on rates is unsustainable”.

He said it showed the “urgent need” to progress alternative options.

One small win for the Wānaka community in the LTP is the decision to bring forward $1.2M in funding for Wānaka sports fields and lighting to the 2024-2025 year, with further details and locations to be confirmed.

Read the full LTP here.

PHOTO: Wānaka App