Environment Canterbury Draft Annual Plan submissions called for

Canterbury people are invited to have their say in helping Environment Canterbury set its priorities for the year. The Draft Annual Plan 2010/11 is now available and public submissions on the plan can be made until April 30.

Environment Canterbury’s chairman, Alec Neill, is pleased to launch the consultation process. “Our Long-Term Council Community Plan provided for a rate increase for 2010/11 of 7.2%. Council has carefully considered all aspects of expenditure and has identified potential savings, trimming the total rate increase to 4.2%.

“In addition to the annual plan expenditure, the Council has resolved to fund the Canterbury Water Management Strategy. This strategy is a significant and historic development in resource management in Canterbury. The expenditure for the first year of this project is $3.2 million, which will be funded from a region-wide targeted rate of 4.5%.”

This year, Environment Canterbury would particularly like to hear from ratepayers about:

The Canterbury Water Management Strategy
State of the Environment water management cost recovery
RMA compliance monitoring charges
Rating for bovine Tb control
Accountability through elected representatives, in the wake of the Creech Report into Environment Canterbury’s governance arrangements.
People are also invited to have their say on any other aspect of this year’s Draft Annual Plan.
Copies of the Draft Annual Plan for 2010/11 and the submission form are available from www.ecan.govt.nz/annualplan or from Customer Services - call 0800 324 636 or email ecinfo@ecan.govt.nz.

Copies are also available at City and District council offices, service centres and libraries.
For further information: Cr Alec Neill 0274 403 731 or Customer Services, as above.