The Christchurch City Council will increase rates by an average of 3.8 percent, more than what was initially proposed.

Council was expected to hike rates by 3.5 percent, but staff are blaming a decision to not charge water rates on the need to go higher.

Councillors Aaron Keown, Sam MacDonald, Tim Scandrett, Catherine Chu, Phil Mager, and James Gough voted against the revised Annual Plan.

At the council meeting today Sam MacDonald said he still believes there are underlying structural issues at council, and until it can demonstrate it has its own house in order, he wouldn’t be supporting the revised Annual Plan.

Councillor James Gough said he didn’t think it was appropriate to be passing on rates increases to residents at this time.

“I do not think it needed to happen and I do not think for one moment or except that these rate rises were inevitable because they were not.”

In a statement, Acting Mayor Andrew Turner says “whilst extending the excess water charge would help us better manage demand for water, we want to make sure any such charge is fairly and equitably applied.”

“We have asked staff to provide advice during the development of the 2021-31 Long Term Plan on how we can achieve this.”

He says council had capped capital spending for the next 12 months at $400 million, plus an additional $117 million for the Metro Sports Facility, currently under construction, and for early works on the Canterbury Multi-Use Arena.

“In response to residents’ concerns about the condition of some of the city’s roads, the budget includes an extra $4.5 million for fixing potholes and resurfacing roads.”

Provision has also been made for a one-off $500,000 funding boost to the Strengthening Communities Fund so that the Council can help community organisations which have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis.