Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Feedback sought on Annual Plan

Horizons Regional Council’s Annual Plan will be released for public consultation this Friday 18 March and the Council is encouraging feedback on a few key updates for 2016-17.

Horizons chairman Bruce Gordon says this year’s Annual Plan remains largely unchanged from what was set out in Horizons’ 2015-25 Long-term Plan.

“Last year Council undertook a comprehensive long-term planning process to set a detailed programme of work that would be carried out over the next three years. We don’t expect to deviate from the decisions made through that process for the 2016-17 financial year but there are some areas that do need updating and we want to hear from our communities,” Mr Gordon said.

Events such as the flooding of June 2015 have prompted the Council to adapt its proposed programme, as has the advent of implementation programme for Central Government’s regional growth study Accelerate25.

Council is also proposing minor changes in the transport space; substituting late night services in Palmerston North for greater frequency, better data collection and an improved timetable and bringing the implementation of a Levin to Waikanae bus service forward by a year.

“One of the big questions for our communities is what role do they think Horizons should play in regional economic growth?

“Over the past 24 months, in collaboration with the Region’s mayors, ministers, iwi and business representatives, we’ve been actively involved in the production and implementation of a Regional Growth Study.

“Going forward, we want to know whether our community wants us to be leaders in this space or play an important supporting role by better utilising the information we hold regarding the region’s resources, bringing key parties together and building on our connections to Central Government.”

The proposed updates to Horizons’ 2016-17 work programme will result in a rate increase of 2.9 per cent on average across the Region.

A summary of key Annual Plan updates is being sent to all households. This summary and supporting documentation will also be available online, from Horizons offices and at the Central District Field Days from Friday 18 March.

Submissions are open until 12 April and can be made:

online at www.horizons.govt.nz
via email to submissions@horizons.govt.nz
by completing and returning the submission form on the back of the summary document
in letter form posted to Freepost 217922, Horizons Regional Council, Private Bag 11025, Manawatu Mail Centre, Palmerston North 4442.
ENDS

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