Facing the facts – community consultation on the Council's proposed Long Term Plan opens next week

Residents will have a chance to read and comment on draft proposals in Central Hawke’s Bay District Council’s Long Term Plan 2021-2031 from next week, as community consultation opens from 1 to 31 March 2021. 

The Long Term Plan (LTP) sets out what the Council’s activities, costs, and required revenue and rates are, for the next ten years. It’s reviewed every three years and was last reviewed in 2018.  

The focus of this LTP is all about ‘facing the facts’, setting out a very challenging and hard road for the district, as the council grapples with catching up on decades of underinvestment in essential infrastructure and assets. 

Increases to rates, increases to the council’s overall debt limits and increases to development contributions are all being proposed in a bid to face the district’s challenges head on, and remedy a dire state of aged and failing infrastructure.  

The Plan also proposes to extend kerbside recycling to rural townships and gives residents the option of introducing a wheelie bin service for refuse and / or recycling. 

Mayor of Central Hawke’s Bay, Alex Walker says: “Our reality is this: nearly a quarter of our drinking pipes and almost 40% of our wastewater pipes are due for replacement; and all six of our wastewater treatment plants need upgrades. We have pipes that are over 100 years old, infrastructure that is literally crumbling away and buildings that we thought were earthquake tolerant, which are not.  We now require major investment in nearly every aspect of our infrastructure and services. These are the facts and it’s time to face them.” 

“We’re not here to sugar coat the situation or to kick the can down the road any further. As Mayor of our beautiful district, I’m standing up and saying enough is enough. It’s time for us to face these challenges head on and secure a thriving future for our children, for our community, and for Central Hawke’s Bay.” 

“We have some challenges ahead, and we have some ideas about how we can face these challenges, but we need to hear if our community agrees or if they have other ideas. From 1 to 31 March we will be out in our community meeting face to face with people to share our reality and to hear their ideas and concerns.” 

The LTP consultation document provides a summary of the council’s financial and infrastructure strategies, key challenges and proposed solutions for the community to consider and feedback on.   Copies of the Long Term Plan consultation document will be available from the council’s service centres and online at https://chbdc.mysocialpinpoint.com.au/facingthefacts from 1 March. 

Central Hawke’s Bay residents will have an opportunity to engage with elected members and staff through a variety of events and face to face opportunities, read through proposals and submit feedback online or in paper format.  

Community feedback will be used to develop the Long Term Plan 2021-2031, which will come into operation from July 2021. 
 

Notes to the editor: 

• The LTP sets out the council’s activities, costs, and required revenue and rates, for the next ten years. It’s reviewed every three years, with the last review taking place in 2018. 
• The Council consulted with communities in August 2020 as part of the ‘LTP pre-engagement’ phase. This was an opportunity to ‘check-in’ with the community and ensure that what the council deemed as being a priority, still aligned with the views of the community. Community feedback has been incorporated into the draft LTP consultation document. 

Community consultation on the Long Term Plan 2021-2031 is scheduled to take place from 1 to 31 March 2021.  

1 March 2021

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