Draft Annual Plan invites input

MANAWATU District residents are being encouraged to have their say as the Draft Annual Plan 2010/11 is released for consultation.

Submissions open on Thursday, April 8, with the public consultation period running until Monday, May 10.
The draft highlights the second year of the Long Term Council Community Plan (LTCCP) and proposes a number of minor changes on budget updates and the retiming of projects.
All residents are encouraged to read the plan, or its summary, and make a submission if they have a strong opinion on any particular issue.

The document is the council’s plan for the next year, so it’s appropriate that people who are affected by what the council undertakes have their say in what is going on.

Some of the proposed projects in which council would welcome community feedback and comment are the Himatangi Beach wastewater and Rongotea water schemes, development of the Sanson building facility, the District Plan review and the Urban Growth Strategy.

The plan and summary also outlines details on the Leisureville initiative (including the next phase of redevelopment of the Makino Aquatic Centre) and the co-ordinated strategic roading network linking the district with Palmerston North and the wider region.

A public meeting to discuss the plan has been organised for 5.30pm on Thursday, April 29, in the council chamber, while a series of presentations are to be made at the following scheduled community committee meetings (7.30pm start):

Halcombe, Kimbolton, Rongotea (April 12), Marae Consultative Committee (April 13); Bunnythorpe, Longburn (April 21); Sanson (April 28) and Cheltenham, Himatangi Beach, Pohangina (May 4).

Copies of the plan summary are to be sent to more than 12,000 residential addresses throughout the district in mid-April.

The summary and draft plan can be viewed on the council’s website, www.mdc.govt.nz, from April 8 and hard copies will be available at the council offices, Feilding Public Library and the Makino Aquatic Centre.