Long-Term Plan ready for input next week
The final touches are being added to a 25-page information pack with a decade of spending in its sights.
Waikato District Council staff were making a slight amendment to the consultation document for the 2015-2025 Proposed Long-term Plan before it goes to Audit New Zealand for a second time.
Strategy and support general manager Tony Whittaker told an Extraordinary Council meeting yesterday the long-term plan had Audit NZ support but they had to make some changes for clarity.
One of the decisions, a $12.2 million plan to upgrade the Raglan wastewater treatment plant and improvements to discharge in 2021 to 2022, needed to be better explained, said Whittaker.
Changes would go to Audit NZ before the end of the week and then it would be sent before the full council meeting next Monday for final clearance.
The easy-to-read document with pictures and graphs would then be sent out to the public for a month-long consultation period from March 16.
Council went to residents last November with a focus on economic development, affordability and community engagement.
Issues facing the district include a population rise of 9000 with rapid growth at the northern border with Auckland. That growth meant additional costs for new services and upgrades to existing infrastructure.
Major projects include water storage in Tamahere and Matangi, wastewater improvement in Te Kauwhata, Meremere and Raglan. Roads, waste and parks and reserves are also targeted.
In 2020, council will inherit 87 kilometres of road and four major bridges for maintenance once the Waikato Expressway is completed. Costs were expected to triple to more than $900,000.
Funding the work will be a major consideration with ratepayers asked to expect an annual rates increase of between 1 and 3 per cent.
Council also moved towards a more user-pays system with targeted rates expected to increase from 23 per cent to 26 per cent.
Infrastructure in areas with new growth will be largely funded by property developer contributions but money for community facilities like libraries will have to be funded through loans.
elton.smallman@fairfaxmedia.co.nz