Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Local Govt | National News Video | Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Search

 

Public feedback sought on ORC’s draft Annual Plan

20 March 2017

Public feedback sought on ORC’s draft Annual Plan

Otago residents will soon be asked to have their say on Otago Regional Council’s 2017/18 draft Annual Plan, which will be discussed by regional councillors at their finance and corporate committee on Wednesday.

The draft Annual Plan outlines proposed changes to the council’s work programme from the Long Term Plan, a 10-year plan developed in 2015.

ORC chairman Stephen Woodhead said there had been changes to what the council needed to deliver since the LTP was developed, based both on what was happening in the environment and public feedback, requiring an increased work plan.

“One of the main drivers for this increased work activity is a change to how civil defence and emergency management is delivered and funded in Otago,” Mr Woodhead said.

“Instead of district and city councils each employing their own emergency management staff, they are now employed by ORC but continue to be based in the districts,” he said.

To meet this cost in 2017-18, the council is proposing a uniform targeted rate of $25.89 per property.

Another driver for the increased activity is the approaching deadlines in the water management space with rural water quality limits coming into force in 2020 and deemed permits (permits to take water) expiring in 2021.

“By 2020 rural landholders need to limit the amount of E.coli, nitrogen, and phosphorous going into waterways,” Cr Woodhead said.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

“To help landholders and to monitor progress in achieving this goal, we plan to undertake environmental risk assessments on rural properties over the next three years.”

ORC also plans to accelerate its minimum flow-setting process to have all minimum flows needed for the replacement of deemed permits set by 2019.

“Minimum flows ensure that economic use of water continues while enough water remains in our rivers. With long standing deemed permits expiring in 2021, we need to give irrigators certainty on how much water is available for their use, while assuring the wider community that recreational, culture and ecological values will be protected,” Cr Woodhead said.

Although water management and civil defence are the main areas of focus in the draft Annual Plan, other new proposed activities signalled include:

• improvements to the Queenstown public transport service;

• re-establishment of an office in Queenstown;

• additional funding for research into lake snow;

• scoping work for the restoration of Lake Hayes, Tomahawk Lagoon, and Lake Tuakitoto; and

• the continuation of the wallaby control work funded from reserves in 2016/17.

Based on the average capital values in the districts, general rate rises proposed by the plan are between $2 and $13 across Otago, with some of the changes such as civil defence and rural water quality requiring increases in targeted rates.

ORC finance and corporate committee chairman Cr Doug Brown said the council had tried hard to balance the proposed rates rises with the community desire to see more done in the region.

“To help ease the impact on ratepayers we have sought a $1.5 million special dividend this year from Port Otago this year in addition to the $7.5 million they were already providing. This special dividend will also be provided next year and by 2019 we hope to have general rates at a level that no longer requires us to request special dividends from the port company,” Cr Brown said.

The public is encouraged to provide feedback on the plan, which will be available in early April. Public meetings will also be held in locations around Otago, as well as online via Facebook. Submissions open on April 3 and close on 12 May.


© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.