The Central Otago District Council opened its books yesterday and held an annual plan workshop detailing the next year’s budget to the public.

Deputy Mayor Neil Gillespie led the meeting, and said this was the first time the council had held the workshops in public, which was also streamed online.

He said although no decisions were made, it was valuable to update both councillors and the community on what the proposed 25 per cent rates increase was made up of.

Big cost increases included a proposed electricity renewal in August 2024, risks around bridges, as well as internal skills shortages, with council still having to use consultants in key areas such as finance.

Wastewater made up a big part of the proposed rates increase, with a 94 per cent increase in costs - or $820,000.

Three Waters director Julie Muir said the sludge budget was facing exorbitant costs and would increase by 179 per cent or $530,000.

Electricity costs would increase 59 per cent or $178,000, such as running the new Lake Dunstan treatment plant.

In corporate services, insurance, audit fees and cybersecurity were all facing huge increases, but the finance team was able to trim off $80,000 from the CEO sustainability budget, when nobody knew what it was for.

A budget of $3.5 million has been budgeted for the renewal of the Little Valley Road Bridge that connects to the Lookout Estate subdivision.

The Ida Valley Omakau Road also has rehabilitation work budgeted of $1.2 million, with the option of pushing it out until 2025-2026 with operational cost considerations.

The Cromwell Memorial Hall was the big budgeted spend for the year, estimated at $24 million for construction and materials (in year one).

A formal decision will be made on the annual plan when the report comes to council in due course.