Up to one month extension granted for council’s Long Term Plan

An extension of up to one month will be added to Waipā District Council’s Long Term Plan programme after official notification from the Government Three Waters legislation will be repealed.

Mayor Susan O’Regan received a letter from newly installed Local Government Minister Simeon Brown last week giving official notice of its intention, and giving options to help local authorities complete their 2024-34 long term plans next year.

They included extending the statutory deadline for the plan to be adopted by three months from the end of June to 30 September and giving councils permission not to have their consultation documents audited before having conversations with their communities.

An emergency council meeting was held today to consider timing options for its 10-year budget, given three waters were now required to be included for the entire life of the plan.

The council announced last week that it was proposing an average 14.8 per cent increase in the 2024/25 year.

Of the 10-year budget, three waters costs and expected revenue had only been included in the first two financial years as required by the legislation at the time.

The council resolved to progress the preparation of its plan with an intended adoption date of no later than 31 July, and to have a fallback position of having the consultation document peer reviewed if for any reason the usual audit option could not be achieved.

“We really are in a tough spot,” O’Regan said. “In some respects, we are back to the drawing board. We need to make sure that our 10-year budgets are given the due diligence they need but we also must make sure that we are having the right conversations with our community,” she said.

The council will come back together at the end of January to review and confirm updated budgets for community consultation.