Council Addresses Roadside Mowing Cuts, Promises Extra Pre-Christmas Run

Western Bay of Plenty District Council has acknowledged widespread community frustration over reduced roadside mowing, with an elected representative committing to greater transparency about the reasons behind service changes and what can realistically be done.

The reduction in urban mowing runs — cut from 12 to six per year — was driven largely by a significant decrease in funding from the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA/Waka Kotahi) for local road maintenance, including vegetation control. This created a funding shortfall that forced council to scale back services to stay within budget. NZTA confirmed it had adopted a more targeted approach to weed control across both local and state highways due to finite funding and increased demand on the roading network.

In response to community feedback, an additional mow is being scheduled before Christmas to tidy urban areas ahead of the summer holiday season, including events such as Santa parades. Councillors will also review mowing levels and consider options for additional runs beyond the six budgeted for the current financial year, with any increase needing to be funded through budget reallocation or new sources.

Longer-term settings for mowing and other transport services will be considered as part of the Annual Plan process in February, with any agreed changes to take effect from 1 July 2026 when new rates are set. Council emphasised that mowing in reserves had not changed, and reiterated its commitment to listening to the community about what service levels are wanted and what trade-offs that might involve.

Originally published in Katikati News (Sun Media).