Just an update on the costs for the Len Lye Centre. A few people on Facebook have questioned our figures, which was good, but the current figures are worse than expected.

Just an update on the costs for the Len Lye Centre. We’re pleased questions have been asked about the numbers we put out, but we’re not sure people will like the answers we found to clarify the numbers.

There has been a few comments on this page that the $6.2M figure is for both the Len Lye Gallery and the Govett Brewster Museum, and, that the costs for both of these have come down and are now more like only $100k a week to run both ($5.2M a year).

The $6.2M figure had come from an original OIA we did back in late 2024, so we referred back to that. We can confirm the $6.2M figure was for the operating costs for both Len Lye and Govett Brewster. That’s was for day to day staffing and running costs only, not the capital costs (long term maintenance and depreciation).

We had to do an OIA back in 2024 to get this type of information, but the good news in 2026 it is much easier to find financial information on the NPDC website.

Sadly, the bad news is the costs for Len Lye and Govett Brewster combined has increased hugely in the last 2 years.

2024

Operating cost - $6.2 M

Capital cost – $ 100k

Total - $6.3M = $121k a week

2025

Operating cost - $6.8 M

Capital cost – $ 300k

Total - $7.1M = $136.5k a week

2026

Operating cost - $7.3 M

Capital cost – $ 300k

Total - $7.6M = $146k a week

In just 2 years, ratepayers are funding an additional $1.3M for Len Lye and Govett Brewster – a weekly cost of $146k – which is an extra $25k A WEEK on what was in the budget in 2024.

If this type of expenditure continues into 2028, ratepayers will be closing in on $10M a year to run this arm of the council.

If you haven’t already voted in our poll, and you want to support the Mayor to bring these operating costs down, you can still vote in our poll here:

https://strawpoll.com/1Mnwka6qjn7