People wanting to make a submission on any aspect of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s draft annual plan and budget for 2010/11 have until 5pm on Monday May 11 to get their view to the Council’s Napier office.
The draft plan was made available to the public on 6 April and a series of six public meetings throughout the region finished this week with a meeting at Waipawa Town Hall.
This Annual Plan and budget follows on from a year of significant change for the Regional Council, and the main focus in the coming year will be to carry out those key decisions. The Council has already made progress on a number of areas as work programmes were largely set in the 10 year plan last year.
Key elements of this draft plan are
- a user pays model for recovering cost of monitoring and research programmes for fresh water to make the funding more equitable for the general ratepayer and recognise the benefits to consent holders. Council has identified a 65% public/35% private (consent holders) rate for the total cost.
- a feasibility study for water storage on the Ruataniwha Plains
- developing a partnership with the Heretaunga Taiwhenua
The Heretaunga Plains Urban Development Study is being consulted in parallel with a separate submission process for residents in the plains city and rural areas.
With full ownership of the Port of Napier Ltd now completed following the purchase of Horizons Regional Council shares in December last year, the Council will be looking at investing more locally. This may include funding a number of regional projects such as the cycle velodrome proposed for the Regional Sports Park and the extension of the Hawke’s Bay Museum and Art Gallery.
Council proposes a total rates increase of 2.5% which is 7.46% less than that proposed in the Ten Year Plan. They also propose running a deficit budget in 2010/11.
The Regional Council makes it easy for people to share their views on the proposals. Submission forms are included in the full plan document and are available from this website. Anyone wanting to speak to the Council at their annual plan meeting on 9-10 June can indicate this on their written submission. |