Westland District Council adopted their Long-Term Plan 2025 – 2034 at the Council meeting on Thursday, 26 June 2025. The plan is the Council’s roadmap for the next nine years, informing how the Council will support the growth of the district and how it intends to fund its work for the life of the plan.
Notable decisions made by the Council following consultation on the draft plan include sale of the Pakiwaitara building, subject to the consideration of rebuilding on that site or moving to the Old Government building on Sewell Street. The Long-Term Plan also includes repair of the Jackson Bay Wharf, contingent on receipt of external loan funding and building a bridge as an alternative route on the West Coast Wilderness Trail to Ross. Dog owners can expect to see a change in the structure of dog registration, with the categories changing to non-neutered, neutered and working dogs. The Council removed funding to remediate the Hannah’s Clearing Landfill and to build a toddlers’ pool at the Hokitika Swimming Pool from the plan.
Solely due to the timing of decisions around Local Water Done Well, the Council’s auditors, EY, have issued an adverse opinion. The Council modelled the financial statements with the best information available on Local Water Done Well at the time of drafting the Long-Term Plan, and subsequently, with consideration being given to the joint three Council Controlled Organisation for Local Water Done Well, the auditors consider the model inconsistent from a financial reporting perspective. This is an unfortunate situation that other Council’s around the country are also facing.
The Long-Term Plan 2025 – 2034 takes effect from 1 July 2025. The Long Term Plan 2025- 2034 will be available to the public on the Westland District Council Website following final approval from the Council’s auditors.
ENDS
Media enquiries to:
Emma Rae, Strategy and Communications Advisor
Emma.rae@westlanddc.govt.nz