Speak up or pay up
You’re now able to make submissions on our draft longterm plan 2018-2028, which forecasts growth, proposed land use, and the infrastructure that might be needed in at least the next 10 years.
The ‘userfriendly’ version notes that our district has called for us “to maintain a steady and careful approach in the delivery of services over the next 10 years, and Council agrees that a steady as she goes approach makes sense.”
I can understand if you feel a little underwhelmed with this. I do. After decades of neglected by successive governments and local MPs, who promised much and delivered bugger all, it’s hard to believe that we might ever achieve our vision, He Whenua Rangatira — A District of Sustainable Prosperity and Wellbeing.
Actually, change is happening across the district. New shops, houses, even entire subdivisions are popping up. Plans are afoot for hundreds of new homes, yet rental accommodation remains scarce and increasingly unaffordable. So it is surprising to read in our LTP that the forecast for even our most rapidly-growing areas is expected to be +/- 5 per cent over the next 10 years. In particular, the number of new rateable properties across the whole district is forecast to increase by an average of just 49 per year. Unbelievable!
With building consents coming out of our ears and having to be contracted out for processing in other parts of the country, where did these figures come from? To quote the Auditor-General, “It is essential for local authorities to have good growth forecasting models because they are the basis for forecasting future revenue (rates, growth charges), finance costs (debt, debt servicing), and capital expenditure required to meet additional demand and asset renewals.”
Our website says current indications are that this low level of development is likely to continue for some time. Has anyone looked out the window lately? Even the mayor has noted that finding a car park in Kerikeri is near to impossible, and I’d observe the same for Paihia.
Unfortunately, in 2015, the then council, in its wisdom, dispensed with development contributions in order to encourage development and growth. Of course this has favoured the developers, who have since maximised their profits at the expense of our struggling infrastructure. The purpose of development contributions under the LGA is to recover from persons undertaking development a fair, equitable and proportionate portion of the total cost of capital expenditure necessary to service growth over the long term. Last year in Tauranga developers vested $39 million of infrastructure assets in the council.
With proposed private plan changes, new subdivisions and housing, shopping centres, and hundreds of retirement units being built, it’s the developers who are pocketing the profits while you and I, the ratepayers, are footing the bill for the infrastructure required to support such development. Is this fair? Please let us know by making a submission. Time to speak up or pay up.
"With proposed private plan changes, new subdivisions and housing, shopping centres, and hundreds of retirement units being built, it’s the developers who are pocketing the profits while you and I, the ratepayers, are footing the bill for the infrastructure . . . "