Long Term Plan open for public consultation

Mayor Nadine Taylor said at Council’s meeting to adopt the LTP the biggest challenge was how to fund the local share of the Marlborough Sounds road repairs, which were damaged by storms in 2021 and 2022.

“This is one of the most significant decisions facing us in Marlborough:

‘who pays what’ towards rebuilding the transport network in the Sounds over the next decade and beyond,” Mayor Taylor said. “The good news is that NZTA is planning to contribute 71 per cent of the cost of the repairs and 51 per cent of the road improvements. But that still leaves Marlborough ratepayers needing to find $104 million dollars, the local share of the repair bill.”

Five options are outlined in the LTP Consultation Document, alongside a range of other items for public feedback. They include increased general roading maintenance funding of $27.5M over the next three years, flood protection improvements for Spring Creek and funding for a sports pavilion at A&P Park in Blenheim. “Council's preferred option is to split the Sounds roading repair bill across five Sounds zones with the rest of Marlborough contributing via a uniform annual charge. This would mean non-Sounds ratepayers would contribute about 70 per cent of the cost of repairs,” Mayor Taylor said.

The proposed rates increase this year is below the average across the country at 12.58 per cent, not including Sounds roading repairs. If the repairs go ahead as proposed, an additional 0.37 per cent will apply, bringing this year’s increase to

12.95 per cent.

The LTP continues Council’s strong capital expenditure programme with a focus on core infrastructure and public services - pipes in the ground, water treatment facilities and road maintenance with Council proposing to invest $1 billion over the next 10 years, $277 million more than the previous ten-year plan.

To make a submission go to links. marlborough.govt.nz/haveyoursay

Copies of the Consultation Document are available at Council’s customer service centres.

The Marlborough Regional Land Transport Plan 2024-2027 is also available for public feedback over the same period via Council’s website.

Marlburians are now encouraged to make a submission on the Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP) 2024-2034.