Taxpayers' Union Launches 2026 Ratepayers' Report for Gisborne District Council

Gisborne’s ‘one council’ model fails; high staffing and debt burden ratepayers. 

Gisborne’s unitary council structure is intended to deliver efficiency, but the Taxpayers’ Union’s 2026 league table Ratepayers’ Report shows ratepayers are still facing significant costs across the board with the council carrying a high staffing cost and nearly $10,000 of debt per household. 

Taxpayers' Union spokesperson, Josh Van Veen, said: 
 
 

“Gisborne District Council operates as a unitary authority, meaning it performs both regional and local council functions. In theory, that should streamline costs, but in practice the numbers suggest ratepayers are still burdened.” 

“With an average residential rates bill of $3,786, Gisborne sits firmly in the mid-to-upper range nationally. At the same time, debt levels reach $9,932 per household, a substantial liability for a relatively small population base.” 

“Staffing is another area of concern, with costs of $1,776 per household and around 22 staff per 1,000 households. That’s a high staffing footprint, reflecting the wide scope of responsibilities, but still raising questions about efficiency.” 

“Twenty-two percent of staff are in management or communications roles, pointing to a significant share of resources tied up in administration rather than frontline services. These figures all highlight the reality of a ‘one council’ model; while it may simplify governance on paper, it doesn’t guarantee lower costs for ratepayers. Which they deserve.” 

“In a region facing economic and infrastructure challenges, it’s critical that every dollar is spent carefully and delivers real value to the community. Which is why the Taxpayers' Union supports an immediate rates cap.” 

Prior to publication, every council were provided their figures for error checking, with requested corrections made. We encourage ratepayers to compare their council for themselves at RatepayersReport.nz.

Regional media releases, including relevant notable findings, can be found here.

Frequently asked questions, including on methodology, can be found here.