Keen feedback on Waipa plan
A plan to build a $1.5 million community sport and recreation centre has proved to be one of the most contentious issues included in the Waipa District Council’s 10-year plan.
The council’s communication and engagement manager Natalie Palmer said out of the six major proposals outlined in the plan, the haupo sport and recreation centre had received the most feedback, attracting almost 500 submissions.
That proposal entailed providing a $500,000 grant toward the development of the facility.
It was also one of the most contentious proposals, with just under half of submitters supporting it, while 30 per cent were against it and another 21 per cent were unsure.
About one third of those who submitted on the haupo¯ proposal owned property in the affected area.
A total of 820 written submissions had been made by Waipa¯ residents and ratepayers from when submissions opened in mid-March to when they closed on April 20.
To put things into perspective, that is a 72 per cent increase on the feedback on the last 10-year plan in 2015.
Less formal feedback from hundreds more residents and ratepayers would also be given to elected councillors for consideration when they make their final decisions on the plan in June.
All of the council’s other proposals in the draft plan were supported by the majority of submitters.
The proposal to develop a Waipa¯ Discovery Centre in Te Awamutu received 53 per cent support. Improvements to the Cambridge Town Hall were supported by 64 per cent.
Meanwhile, more than 66 per cent agreed with council’s pro- posal for developers to bear the cost of interest and inflation, as opposed to ratepayers fitting the extra bill.
Palmer said feedback received by council through informal channels such as Facebook would also be presented to councillors for consideration.
Those comments covered a wider range of issues than those covered in the public consultation document.
‘‘What they do with that feedback will be a matter for elected members,’’ Palmer said.
‘‘Our job has been to try and generate as much informed debate as possible so that people could have a say on issues that mattered to them.’’
The final decision on what will officially be included in the council’s plan for the next 10 years will be made at the end of June this year, after council discussions and public hearings.