Wednesday 13 March, 2024
Council’s 2024-2027 Three Year Plan (3YP) is being considered at a Council meeting tomorrow before it goes out for consultation with the community.
The plan outlines the challenges facing Council and how it intends to pay for the enormous recovery bill we face following cyclones Hale and Gabrielle last year.
Chief Executive Nedine Thatcher Swann says nationally all councils are facing significant financial challenges, more so for regions such as Tairāwhiti which was significantly affected by extreme weather events.
“For our region this will mean a proposed rates rise for most residential city households of $7.00 per week and $3.50 for rural residential properties based on average valuations for each sector.
“We have pulled every financial lever possible to keep the rates as low as we can but the repair bill from Cyclone Gabrielle is more than one billion dollars’ worth of damage.
“Rising business costs including interest costs, depreciation and inflation have made it impossible to avoid rates increases. On top of that, the loss of a dividend from our Council Controlled Trading Organisation has also significantly reduced our ability to hold rates.”
The consultation document for the 3YP explains clearly how Council plans to pay for core services, as well as all the recovery projects that need to happen.
“The decisions outlined in the consultation document include options about whether we should spend more to do more.
“It emphasises strengthening wastewater, stormwater and water supply systems, the need to repair our damaged roading network, provide for more flood protection and improve our townships.
“It clearly explains why we are faced with significantly increased costs and workloads while trying to manage affordability for everyone.
“The options also highlight there may be some changes to the levels of service following a review of the roading network. This may mean that instead of sealed roads in some areas we may have to revert to unsealed roads.
“We are very mindful of the impacts rates increases may have so we have increased provision for our remissions of rates for those where hardship is an issue.”
The consultation campaign begins on Wednesday 20 March with a number of physical events across the region. Please keep up to date on Council’s website and Facebook pages for all the information about the 3YP and where community meetings will be held to discuss it.
Submissions will close on Friday 19 April 2024.
- As a result of the severe weather events in 2023, the Government has allowed Gisborne District Council to prepare a 2024-2027 3 Year Plan (3YP) instead of a 2024-2034 Ten Year Long Term Plan (LTP) to help Gisborne and Te Tairāwhiti focus on recovery. The 2024-2027 3YP will replace the 2021-2031 LTP as Council’s primary strategic planning document.