Collectively, Local Authorities are projecting total capital spending of just under $30b over the next ten years (real numbers based on the 2012-15 long-terms plans). Significantly, the forecast spend for Councils other than Auckland is well below the actual levels of capital spending from 2008 - 2013. Whether this reflects the traditional lumpy nature of infrastructure investment or the impact of the GFC and revised growth projections is not clear.
For Auckland, 28% of the forecast spend is on the three-waters - drinking water, sewage and stormwater with a further 27% on roading. For the rest of New Zealand, 33% of forecast spend is on the three-waters with a further 37% on roading. Whereas the largest category of forecast capital spend in Auckland is in the "levels of service" category (49%), the rest of New Zealand is for "Renewals" at 54%.
The stormwater and drinking water spend is forecast to remain fairly constant across both Auckland the rest of New Zealand, but sewage shows a different picture, with the rest of New Zealand forecasting declining spend with an increase in the last two years (driven by forecast demand/ growth increases), and Auckland a steady increase (also driven by demand/ growth).
At a national level, there is limited data available that is consistent and able to be aggregated to determine whether this level of spending is more or less than required and the levels of service planned to be delivered. This will be a key focus of the performance indicators framework and will use information gathered from a variety of initiatives, both those led-by the local government sector and the recently announced enhanced reporting requirements to communities.