Community support in direction Council is taking the city

Hutt City Council received over 1200 submissions to the 2016/17 Annual Plan, with 127 individual and group submitters indicating their interest to speak on a variety of topics. The hearings will take place at the newly refurbished Council Chambers on Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 May.

Chief Executive Tony Stallinger states, “We are delighted with the level of feedback from our community. The first question we ask through the Annual Plan consultation process is typically about overall support in the direction we are taking the city. This year almost 84% of our community who responded supported our Council continuing to invest in the rejuvenation of the city through key infrastructure projects. This is the highest level of support I have seen in my nine-year tenure as Chief Executive at Hutt City Council”.

Lower Hutt Mayor Ray Wallace adds, “Receiving over 1200 submissions in this year’s consultation period is a tremendous result, and the public hearings are an event that I personally look forward to every year. It is an opportunity for the people to have their say on our city and the things that matter most to them. I am delighted that we will hear 127 oral submissions over the two-days of hearings”.

Items that received a strong level of community interest include, city-wide rejuvenation initiatives, one hour free car parking in the CBD, cycling and walking infrastructure projects and the Stokes Valley Hub proposal.

The community were also asked whether Council should borrow beyond current borrowing limits to cover costs of rejuvenation projects in the years to come, or add an extra 1% to rates in 2017/18 to support additional rejuvenation projects. Over 70% of respondents supported adding an additional 1% to rates in 2017/18.

Next steps:

• Community Hearings – Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 May

• Community Plan Committee debate the Annual Plan – Thursday 2 June

• Annual Plan adopted and rates struck for 2016/17 financial year – Thursday 23 June

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