Farsighted or wrongfooted? Time to tell the city council

Has the Invercargill City Council come up with 10 years’ worth of good ideas?

The council has begun a month-long consultation process for its long-term plan, which will then be reconsidered in light of feedback.

It spans proposals from the coming year’s average 9.17% rates increase to a plan for a new pool in 2033-34.

Deputy mayor Tom Campbell said the council had committed to some big projects, such as the museum upgrade and critical infrastructure projects, “and now we’re asking the community if we’ve got the balance right’’.

The council had asked itself three questions; what was essential infrastructure work which was “priority one’’, then what it would like to do and “most importantly, perhaps’’ what it could afford to do.

“We know that the cost of living is hitting everyone,’’ Campbell said, “and the council has worked incredibly hard to balance the need to deliver great projects, services and activities, while keeping rates down.”

While 9.17% was the average rates increase for the coming year, it was important to understand each property would have a different increase, based on the value of their property and the services they received, he said.

The proposed increase was lower than many other areas of the country were facing.

Chief executive Michael Day said the council’s strong financial position had allowed a strategy that focused on critical asset renewal and held off funding other infrastructure renewals until later in the budget cycle.

This meant the council had been able to include big projects, but not push the rates increase higher than necessary.

The consultation document had been prepared to be easy to read, and summarised key points for specific feedback.

To learn more people could visit the letstalk.icc.govt.nz website, or pick up a copy from Te Hīnaki Civic Building in Esk St, the public library, Bluff service centre, Splash Palace or Murihiku Marae.

People could make written submissions, arrange to speak at upcoming hearings, could attend one of a series of in-person “cuppa and a chat’’ sessions with councillors and staff, or could, for the first time, send in video submissions.

“We know that the cost of living is hitting everyone, and the council has worked incredibly hard to balance the need to deliver great projects, services and activities, while keeping rates down.” Deputy mayor Tom Campbell (pictured)