Annual Plan Submission Deadline Approaches

The community has only a few more days to make submissions to Waitaki District Council’s Draft Annual Plan for next year. Submissions to the Draft Plan close at 5pm on Tuesday 13th May.

The Draft Annual Plan has information on proposed Council projects and rates for next year. This years Draft Annual Plan proposes a total rates increase of 6.4%. Individual ratepayers will face differing rate increases, depending on a number of factors, such as the services they receive. The 2006 - 2016 Community Plan of Council services and expenditure indicated that in 2008/09 rates were expected to increase by 6.8%.

Three public meetings have been held to discuss the Draft Plan at Palmerston, Oamaru and Kurow. A total of approximately 65 people attended these meetings. Council also held two radio talkback sessions on Newstalk ZB (1395AM), to answer questions and listen to comments from the community on the Draft Plan. 22 submissions to the Plan have been received to date.

Strategy Group Manager, Richard Mabon, encouraged the public to get their submissions in by May 13th, “Every year Council makes changes to the Draft Plan after hearing from the community. Make sure you have your say.”