Christchurch City Council is warning cutbacks and hard decisions will have to be made to avoid significant increases to rates.

Mayor Phil Mauger says the council's 'up a creek' financially, and cuts to libraries and swimming pools are on the cards in order to avoid an 18 percent rate rise.

Christchurch City Councillor Jake McLellan says the situation is a challenging one.

"We're obviously subject to the same pressures that every organisation is, but I certainly don't want to see libraries or swimming pools closed and I'm going to be working hard to make sure that doesn't happen."

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