Council has made no significant changes to the activities in the Annual Plan from what was planned in the 2022/23 year of the Ten-Year Plan.

Council is committed to and focused on delivering the projects agreed to in the 2021-2031 Ten-Year Plan.

These projects include our ongoing work on the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), work on renewing the dog pound, and our continued work on climate change initiatives which is directed by our Climate Change Strategy.

The new administration building project was due to start in the 2022/23 year, with $1million out of the total $4.5m planned to be spent in the year.

Council has decided to delay the start of this project until there is more certainty around the Three Waters Reform, and the impact this may have on this project. Council can also consider whether other options may be available.

At this stage, the project is only delayed, with no decisions having yet been made. If Council does propose any significant changes to this project, this will be formally consulted on as part of the next Annual Plan, or Ten-Year Plan before a final decision is made.

We have worked to ensure that we can keep rates increases to a minimum, despite significant pressure from inflation, while still delivering all our core services in the community and remaining financially prudent. We have reviewed our activities to confirm that we are delivering services in the most cost-effective way possible, and have sought to offset forecast increases in expenses through reducing some budgets while still delivering the levels of service agreed in the Ten-Year Plan.

Overall, average rates will increase by 6% for the 2022/23 year.

This is higher than the increase predicted for Year 2 of the Ten-Year Plan, which was 4.5%. This increase is mainly the result of inflation, and resourcing required to deliver on the Ten-Year Plan.

With confirmation late last year the Government’s Three Waters Reforms will now be mandated, Council is making for this significant additional workload.

We anticipate the Three Waters Reforms programme will be comprehensive, ongoing, and increasingly demanding as we get closer to the proposed mandated transition date of 1 July 2024.