Where do you see the Coromandel in ten years' time?

From today you have the chance to have input into your future in the District by making a submission to our 2015-2025 Long Term Plan (LTP) consultation document.
Our LTP consultation document lays out our priorities and where we plan to spend money over the next decade. The document is less than 40 pages and is easy to read and understand.
Our proposals are based on assumptions about the future of:
• Our economy – likely growth rates, inflation and interest rates.
• The district – population changes, land use changes.
• Services we deliver – when the renewing of assets is required, impact from recent legislation.
All these factors affect our financial situation and the rates that you pay. So, why not take a look at the consultation document here and give us your feedback?

A few proposals that may interest you...
There are a lot of different issues you may be interested in that could affect you. Here are a few:
Holiday home accommodation
• A new fixed rate of $200+GST for short-stay accommodation providers - e.g. those using Bookabach or small B&Bs to contribute to economic development costs.
• Reclassifying large (four or more bedrooms for hire at any one time) Bed and Breakfast operations as "Industrial and Commercial" so that they pay the commercial economic development rate and pan charges, in the same way as moteliers.
Retirement villages
• Introducing a rates remissions for retirement village residents who own a "License to occupy" their homes. This will put them in the same position as other low-income home owners who are able to access the central government rates rebate scheme.
Other issues
• Move $46.6M of the debt on the Eastern Seaboard Wastewater plants to be paid through rates rather than future development.
• Change stormwater from a local rate to a district rate. Thames ratepayers will be better off because of this proposal and all ratepayers in other areas will pay more.
• Change the information centres in Tairua, Pauanui, Whangamata and Coromandel to local rates - which means slightly higher rates in each of those areas.
• Introducing an automatic 50% rates remissions for small (50 sq metres or less) second dwellings (so for small granny flats) - but note; we already allow people who don't rent these out to apply for a 100% remission; this doesn't change.
• Planting World War 1 Memorial Forests around the Coromandel at a cost of around $450,000.

By Area
Thames and Kopu
• Maintenance of long-established infrastructure, facilities and services.
• Partnering with others on new or replacement facilities such as the multisport indoor sports facility.
• Major upgrade of southern and rural water supply, wastewater and stormwater systems.
• Funding for local economic development initiatives in response to feedback from community and business groups.
• Thames Pool funding for renewal and feasibility of sub-regional aquatic centre.

Whangamata
• Completing key footpath connections in town in a way that retains the beach character.
• Investigations into the feasibility of building a walkway and cycleway up Wentworth Valley road.
• Sealing Wentworth Valley Road.
• Community projects such as the redevelopment of Williamson Park, upgrading Aitken Road Tennis Courts, parking and disabled access to Island View Reserve, an investigation into a new Community Marae facility, and on-going commitment to development of harbour walking tracks.
Tairua-Pauanui
• Maintenance of current local facilities and improving harbour facilities.
• On-going safety improvements for the Hikuai Settlement Road and safety and bridge-widening improvements at Duck Creek.
• Progress on Council’s Water Demand strategy.
• Pauanui aquifer reconfiguration project removing the need for an upgrade.
• A catchment-wide programme to manage flooding and erosion at Holland Stream.
Mercury Bay
• Whitianga Town upgrade.
• Constructing the next stage of the Mercury Bay Cemetery.
• Managing coastal erosion at Brophy’s beach.
• Upgrading Hot Water Beach toilet facilities.
Coromandel-Colville
• Coromandel Harbour facilities development for growth in aquaculture, tourism, recreational opportunities and improved commuter access to and from Auckland through a fast ferry service.
• Two of the major issues signalled for further investigation in this consultation document are the Coromandel Harbour Facilities project and the Coromandel Northern By-Pass (see pages 29-30 of the consultation document).
It's great if you can make a submission if you agree or disagree on anything we're proposing. It helps our Council make a better, more informed decision if you are for or against anything signalled in the LTP.

Public meetings
You're welcome to come and talk to staff or your elected members at one of the meetings we have planned:
Monday 16 March
9am at the Thames Council Chambers
1pm at the Tairua Library
Tuesday 17 March
9am at the Coromandel-Colville Area Office
1pm at the Mercury Bay Area Office
Wednesday 18 March
1pm at the Pauanui Fire Station
Thursday 19 March
1pm at the Whangamata Area Office
Find out more through our website www.tcdc.govt.nz/ltp or take a look at the Consultation Document at our area office and district libraries.
Submissions run from 9 March until 9 April 2015.

Three additional policies out for consultation
We are also consulting on revised versions of the following three policies:
Rates Remission Policy
Revenue and Financing Policy
Development Contributions Policy
You can submit on these three policies as part of your submission to the LTP consultation document, but the individual policies have extra questions so we recommend treating any of these three separately.

Do I have to answer every question in the submission?
Not at all!
Just submit on the points you are passionate about if you wish.
Our aim is to make it as easy as possible for you to have your say without making you jump through any more hoops than required by the legislation.

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