Media Release
21 March 2012
Long Term Plan Consultation to Start
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council today approved its draft Long Term Plan for the next ten years.

The Draft Long Term Plan 2012 - 2022 sets out the organisation’s work priorities for the next decade, as well as how the work will be funded, and encourages public submissions.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Chairman Fenton Wilson says Councillors and staff have put a lot of time and effort into preparing the draft plan, which continues the broad vision of the HBRC Land and Water Management Strategy and the Strategic Plan.

The draft plan continues with the three mains focus areas for HBRC outlined in the Strategic Plan – resilient ecosystems, resilient economy and resilient community – supported by a range of management and investment planning.

“This is an innovative plan. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council wants the region to grow and prosper while protecting its clean natural environment and to achieve this we must take some bold steps,” says Fenton Wilson.
“We really want Hawke’s Bay people to have a say and tell us if they think we've got it right.”
He says the fundamental issues addressed in the plan are being faced by communities around the country including water quality and quantity, sustainable land management and natural hazard management.
Key project proposals in the Draft Long Term Plan include continuing with the water storage investigations in the Tukituki and Ngaruroro catchments; proposals for forestry investment to support sustainable land management outcomes; increased protection from natural hazards through the Civil Defence Group and by enhancing flood control schemes; and working within strategic alliances to help develop Hawke’s Bay.

HBRC has made a commitment to hold increases in regional rates to 4% for the first two years of this draft plan and below 4% for the remaining years.

"We've done a lot of work to get our investments to do the work – through the new investment company. This will help keep the rates realistic given the large projects we are looking at and the increasing legislative requirements we work to.”

The only significant change proposed to HBRC rates is a new separate Uniform Annual Charge (UAC) to fund the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence & Emergency Management Group. The Group was previously funded through general funded rates but, as the group now operates regionally, the costs of running this programme need to be more transparent for ratepayers. So a UAC will be charged as a fixed amount per property with a corresponding decrease in the general funding.

The public consultation period runs for five weeks from 10 April to 16 May.

Hawke’s Bay residents will receive a summary of the Draft Long Term Plan in the next issue of HBRC’s magazine “Our Place” which will be distributed to homes throughout the region after Easter. They can also view the full detailed draft plan online or at their local library, or request a copy from HBRC.

HBRC is also producing a short video to highlight key projects in the plan for the public to comment on that will be shown on the website and at the Council’s open day.

The HBRC Open Day will be held on 12 April at the Dalton Street office in Napier, so the public can see staff at work and learn more about the organisation’s work and future proposals.

‘Shop front’ presentations will also be held in Central Hawke’s Bay and Wairoa, so people in those districts have an opportunity to discuss the Draft Long Term Plan with Councillors and management.

People will be able to download a copy of the summary or the full plan from the HBRC's website from 10 April. Guidelines about how people can make a submission will also be on the website, and in the full plan.

ENDS