Council Adopts Annual Plan Consultation Document

The Annual Plan Consultation document was adopted by Council on Thursday 28 February at its Council meeting and will be available for the community for feedback, review and consultation from 18 March. It continues the focussed investment in water infrastructure and includes a proposed rates increase of 4.36% for the 2019/20 year - 0.32% above that projected in the 2018 Long Term Plan, a major achievement for a community with limited revenue opportunities.

There are four changes from the Long Term Plan 2018-28 that Council are seeking the community’s feedback and input on.

A proposal to provide a suspensory loan of $250,000 from the Rural Ward Funds to Water Holdings CHB Ltd to enable them to work collaboratively with partners to identify water security options, is one of the key proposals that Council is seeking the community’s feedback on. The suspensory loan, with strict criteria will not be provided to revisit the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme as it was known. Working in partnership to address the environmental, social and economic challenges and opportunities that water security creates, is the primary driver of the suspensory loan to support Water Holdings CHB to be part of the solution to address water security for Central Hawke’s Bay.

Project THRIVE highlighted how passionate our community is about protecting our patch of Central Hawke’s Bay paradise. Council listened, and in response have development an Environmental and Sustainability Strategy, which feedback is sought on from the community as part of the 2019/20 Annual Plan consultation. Four priorities of managing our impact on waterways, increasing recycling and reducing waste to landfill, conserving water and managing for climate change are identified in the strategy. Council wants to hear any other great ideas that should be included within the strategy.

Managing the impacts and affordability of new rateable values set in late 2018 for Central Hawke’s Bay, is the third key area that Council seeks feedback on. Changes to the Revenue and Financing Policy are proposed to improve the fairness from the impact new rating values have on the incidence of rating across the District.

A proposal to establish a regional Disaster Relief Trust between the five Hawke’s bay Local Authorities is the fourth change that Council seeks the community’s feedback on. Led by the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group, establishing the Trust will allow for the mechanisms for donations to be received immediately as a Charity to be in place, should a major event occur. This will also allow for funds to be distributed back to the community as quickly as possible.

Mayor Alex Walker said the 2019/20 Annual Plan Consultation Document and Supporting Information reflects on the great work the District has achieved over the last 12 months and work priorities still ahead to deliver on the outcomes of Project Thrive.

“While there is lots we have achieved, we really encourage the community to have their say on the proposals in the Annual Plan, as we continue to focus on building a thriving Central Hawke’s Bay”, says Mayor Alex Walker. “The Annual Plan is a proposal, and we look forward to the many conversations and hearing the views that our community has on these proposals”.

The 2019/20 Annual Plan Consultation Document and Supporting Information will be available on Councils website shortly and from Council Offices and Libraries from 18 March. A copy of the Annual Plan Consultation Document will be included in the CHB Mail on 19 March, and there will be opportunities for the community to make written submissions and to meet with Councillors and staff on the proposals.

People have until 5pm on Friday 12 April to have their say.

Ends

Authorised by Chief Executive: Monique Davidson

1 March 2019

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