Long Term Plan adopted with rates increase of 3.32% in first year

Our Council has adopted the 2018-28 Long Term Plan (LTP), with an average district rates increase of 3.32% in the 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019 financial year.

The rates increase this coming year is lower than projected in our consultation document through a combination of a larger contribution to road maintenance from NZTA and Council spending more from our reserves.

"We've struck the right balance between financial prudence on behalf of our ratepayers and paying for the maintenance and upgrades to essential infrastructure that we need," says our Mayor Sandra Goudie.

"I'd like to acknowledge the work our Councillors, Community Board members and Council staff have put into preparing this Long Term Plan - it's been many months in the making," Mayor Sandra says.

"And the public input has been phenomenal too. Six-hundred and twenty people came to 19 meetings to hear presentations on the plan and asked some really good questions about it. We had an extensive publicity campaign, including billboards, polls on social media, print, radio and online advertising - and in the end we had 785 submissions - that's more than we've had on a Long Term Plan for quite some time," says Mayor Sandra.

The LTP was open to submissions from 16 March to 16 April, and these submissions were considered and where appropriate incorporated into the final LTP, which was adopted at yesterday's Council meeting.

We are also changing our rates installment dates, to avoid hitting people with a rates bill just before Christmas.

The new due dates are 15 October, 15 February and 15 May. We'll be sending out notices about one month before each of these dates.

For those who pay their rates by monthly or fortnightly direct debits, we will be recalculating these direct debits in August and will write to the affected ratepayers to advise of the new payment amounts.

What is the Long Term Plan (LTP)?

The LTP is our Council's roadmap for budgets, projects and services for the next 10 years. It is reviewed every three years. It includes the income and expenditure budgets for each Council activity along with a description of the services to be delivered.

Read the full 2018-2028 Long Term Plan here.

Here is a summary of some of the major decisions our elected members made following the consultation:

Sub-regional aquatic facility, Thames: Thames Centennial Pool is due for replacement by 2027. A new site must be found as the current location covers an urupā/burial ground. Investigations into a suitable site in the Thames area have already begun and will continue, but it was clear from submissions that people in other parts of the district would like improved swimming facilities - so we'll look into how this can be funded. This will be a major consultation as part of the 2021-2031 Long Term Plan.

Road maintenance on 29 currently unmaintained roads: Council decided to examine whether maintaining each of them to a standard to receive the NZTA subsidy is feasible. If it is, that's what we'll do; if not, we'll consider the alternatives for any given road.

Wentworth Valley Road, Whangamata: The seal on this road will be extended to where the road ends at the Department of Conservation campground.

Pottery Lane extension, Coromandel Town: Pottery Lane will be extended to reduce commercial traffic on Kapanga Road, the main retail street.

Dalmeny's Bridge (Hot Water Beach Road): $50,000 has been allocated by Council to investigate widening and raising of the bridge over the Whenuakite River on Hot Water Beach Road, known locally as Dalmeny’s Bridge. If widening and raising the bridge is considered cost effective, this will be consulted on as part of the 2019/20 Annual Plan or the next long term plan.

Coastal erosion works: A budget of $400,000 is available in 2018/19 to undertake coastal erosion protection in Flaxmill Bay. We will also be investigating a longer term solution for coastal erosion protection in Cooks Beach. Coastal erosion works will be confirmed each year, with priorities for funding based on risk
profiles.

Coastal hazard risk assessments: Council decided to increase our coastal hazard risk assessment budgets to $2.6 million over the first three years of this Long Term Plan. Both Council and our communities are clear that we face great risk and expense from storm events and coastal inundation in our district, and it is
important that we operate with the best information to be able to respond to these risks.

Removal of rates remission for second dwellings: Council decided to not remove the rates remission available on the second separately used and inhabited part of a rating unit (second dwellings) where the ratepayer has signed a statutory declaration stating that the second dwelling is only used for family and non-paying friends. The rates remission remains available for application in the 2018/19 year.

Uniform annual general charge: Council decided not to proceed with the proposal to maximise the Uniform Annual General Charge (UAGC) by moving the proportion of our uniform rating close to 30%. Instead, the UAGC will remain at current levels of around 22% of total rating.

Economic development rate: Council decided to retain the Economic Development rate. This remains a targeted rate charged only to commercial and industrial ratepayers at a rate of $7.89 per $10,000 of improvement value, instead of being replaced with a $22 rate on all properties (including commercial and industrial).

Where is your rates money spent?

What we build and maintain:

© Scoop Media