Wairoa District Council wants to hear your thoughts and views.

The consultation period for the Council’s Long-Term Plan for 2024-2027 opened this week.

Over the next month, people are encouraged to tell us what matters and how you would like our district to look over the next three years and beyond.

Our planning will focus on Cyclone Gabrielle recovery while delivering the core activities and facilities our community expects. We know it is financially challenging for everyone at the moment, and providing the required services and cyclone recovery will come at an increased cost.

At this early stage, the proposed 2024-25 average rate increase is 19.5%.

Wairoa District Council Chief Executive Kitea Tipuna said that, as an indication, for an average property with a valuation of $340,000 in the 2023/24 financial year, this property would have paid $3,370 in rates. The proposed average increase for 2024/25 means the rates for this property would rise by an additional $17.18 per week.

“These rate rises are critical to ensuring we can fund the activities and projects outlined in our plan. Within the Long-Term Plan, we have identified some key projects that require some big decisions to be made. The key areas are roading, solid waste management, waste minimisation and kerbside collection, revitalising our CBD and the future of our archives storage and kerbside collection.”

Due to the impacts of weather events, the government is allowing eight Councils, including Wairoa, to reduce their LTP forecasts to three years rather than the usual 10 years.

Finalising the LTP has taken longer than expected, with the Council focused on achieving the right balance between daily activities and recovery.

Mr Tipuna said the cyclone and back-to-back weather events have caused enormous pressure and had massive implications for the Council’s infrastructure and finances. “We have achieved a lot, but there is still a lot to do, and it is important we have a clear pathway forward.”

“Based on feedback to date, we have come up with what we think the community wants, and we encourage as many people as possible to participate in the Long-Term Plan process and share their views.”

The Council’s Long-Term Plan Consultation Document was adopted on Thursday, June 13, and will be followed by a month of community consultation, including community meetings, caravan sessions and information sessions.

The consultation period will close on July 17. Feedback and submissions will then be reported to elected members, followed by hearings and deliberations.

The council will host four community meetings as part of its consultation, allowing residents and ratepayers to hear the proposed three-year plan in person.

Council will also host three caravan sessions and a drop-in session, during which elected members and staff will seek feedback from the community.

Community Hui

• Tuesday 25 June – 6pm – Wairoa War Memorial Hall, Wairoa
• Tuesday 2 July – 6pm – Lake Whakamarino Lodge, Tuai.
• Thursday 4 July – 6pm – Mokotahi Hall, Mahia
• Tuesday 9 July – 6pm – Waipapa-a-Iwi Marae, Mohaka

Caravan Sessions

• Wednesday 26 June – 10am to 2pm – Gemmell’s on Parade, Wairoa.
• Thursday 4 July – 10am to 2pm – Frasertown Store, Frasertown.
• Thursday 11 July – 10am to 2pm – Nuhaka General Store.

Information Drop-in Sessions

• Monday 15 July – 10am to 2pm – Wairoa District Council Chambers, Queen Street, Wairoa.

Feedback Booklet Collection Points

• Wairoa District Council Main Office, Queen Street
• Wairoa Library
• Wairoa isite

Submissions can be made:

• Online at www.consultations.wairoadc.govt.nz
• Use the submission form that can be collected from the Wairoa District Council Office, Wairoa Library and Wairoa isite.
• By attending a caravan or drop-in session and talking to one of our Councillors.
• By speaking at a Council hearing.
• By emailing feedback@wairoadc.govt.nz – please write Three-Year Plan 2024-27 in the subject line.

18 June 2024

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