Consultation on the Draft Annual Plan closed at 4pm on Friday 26 May. Thank you to everyone who took the time to submit.
Council heard the submissions, deliberate and make decisions at an Extraordinary Meeting on 7 June 2023.
The final Annual Plan 2023/2024 was adopted on 30 June 2023.
Proposed average rate increase: 0.07%
Overall we are proposing a 0.07% average increase to rates, which is well below the 10.5% we planned in the LTP and below our 5% rates limit. This average is based on savings made if we do not fund depreciation on the three waters assets in the 2023/2024 year. We believe this is the right approach with the proposed transfer of three waters assets to the Water Service Entity through the three waters reform programme.
However, the average figures do not tell the full story and many ratepayers will see changes outside of the average in their rates bills.
Individual ratepayer’s increases vary dependant on location, property capital value and the services provided. The indicative range of rate changes from the sample rates is from –13.02% to 28.67%.
Read more
Council, just like every household in New Zealand, is experiencing the effects of the current economic environment. We have had to consider both internal and external factors when drafting the budget. We have assumed that We will continue to deliver services at the same, if not better, level.
We have taken the following into account:
Read more about the current challenges in the Consultation Document and appendix.
What changes are we proposing?
With the upcoming changes to the future ownership of our three waters assets (drinking water, stormwater and wastewater), Council is proposing that we will not fund depreciation for those assets in the 2023/2024 year.
Council has identified five options for the allocation of rates. Four of these options assume that Council will not be funding the depreciation of 3 waters in the 2023/2024 year. Whichever option is adopted, the total rates revenue will remain the same.
The preferred option is: 20% UAGC with the Rural differential reduced from 1 to 0.95, and Rural Residential differential reduced from 0.75 to 0.7
Council has reviewed the project, and considered the financial and social implications. Given the construction costs and ongoing maintenance costs, the provision of permanent public toilets at Otira are not warranted based on the small number of likely users. There is concern that the level of use does not justify the ongoing costs of cleaning and caretaking, and maintenance of a public toilet block.
The preferred option is: to retain the temporary structure and not build a permanent toilet block.
We propose amend some of our fees and charges as part of our policy for user-pays.
We are proposing to increase or reduce the budgets for some activity areas and we have reviewed our expenses and identified where budgets have changed.
Where we are continuing our capital programme as planned. Some capital projects have been brought forward from later years where related projects have already been completed.
Read more about our proposed changes in the Consultation Document and appendix.
To find out about what the indicative rates are likely to be if Council adopts all of the proposals and the preferred options outlined in this document see p 14 of the Draft Annual Plan 2023/2024 Consultation Document or p 30 of the Draft Annual Plan 2023/2024.
Indicative rates for the alternative rate model proposals can be viewed in the appendix to the Draft Annual Plan 2023/2024 Consultation Document.
Information on your property’s proposed rates for 2023/2024 will be available in the Council’s Rating Information Database (RID) in the month of May 2023.
Submissions open: 9am, Thursday 27 April 2023
Submissions close: 4pm, Friday 26 May 2023
No late submissions will be accepted.
Hearing, Deliberation and Decision: 9am, Wednesday 7 & Thursday 8 June 2023 (Day two will only be used if necessary)
Please note: submissions will be publicly available on the council’s website, through inclusion in council agendas, and/or retrievable by request under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987. Contact details will redacted under the Privacy Act 1993.