Draft Annual Plan consultation under way

8 March 2013

Waipa residents are being invited to have their say on our draft Annual Plan.

Waipa District Council is proposing a total rates revenue of 3 percent for the 2013/14 year, 1.7 percent less than originally forecast in the 10-Year Plan.

This means the majority of Waipa ratepayers could expect to see increases of between 2.5 and 4.5 percent on their rates notices.

Mr Livingston said $150,000 in energy savings had been realised shortly before the adoption of the plan at the council meeting last week.

That had allowed a further reduction in the rates requirement from the 3.3 percent indicated in an earlier draft of the plan.

This saving clearly highlighted the benefits of the mayoral forum and the greater efficiencies that could be made through greater collaboration, he said.

The key drivers for the increase included the legislative requirement to fund depreciation, moving the district revaluation forward a year to avoid a clash with the three-yearly review of the Revenue and Financing Policy, and the need to fund election costs.

We are required to do these three things under legislation and they alone amount to a 3.8 percent increase, said Mr Livingston.

The council and staff have worked extremely hard to achieve a net overall increase of 3 percent and it is a very good outcome for our community, he said.

Feedback is being sought from the community on a number of items including funding $60,000 for a structure plan to guide future development of Ngahinapouri, a $66,000 contribution to the Mayoral Forum to investigate further cross-council efficiencies and $50,000 to support activities relating to the 150th Anniversary of the district.

From now until April 5, we want people to get involved and have their say. We have introduced a range of new online tools, and will be sharing our plans with the community through public meetings and at our annual Kite Day so it will be easier than ever before, Mr Livingston said.

With the introduction of a rates calculator on our new website, people can for the first time see the actual affect the proposed plan may have on their rates and we hope will help them make informed decisions on our proposals, he said.

More information can be found at www.waipadc.govt.nz.