The Waikato District Council has released its draft Long Term Plan for consultation. The day to make a submission is on Wednesday 9 May, 2012 by 4pm.
An ‘open day’ for Raglan residents to learn about the draft Long Term Plan will be held on Thursday 19 April from 6.00pm to 7.30pm in the Raglan Town Hall, Bow St, Raglan.
Media Release: Waikato District Council
COUNCIL RELEASES DRAFT LONG TERM PLAN FOR CONSULTATION
From Thursday, 5 April 2012, Waikato district’s residents will be able to provide feedback to the council about the 2012 – 2022 draft Long Term Plan.
The plan contains the council’s strategic direction and proposed budgets for the next ten years, including details about proposed rates levels and projects.
A summary of the plan is being posted to all ratepayers and will be available, along with the full document, at the council’s offices, libraries and service centres. It is also available online.
“Many people rely on the summary for all the information. We have included the main consultation issues in the summary,” chief executive Gavin Ion says.
“We will also have open days throughout the district so that people can come along, ask questions and gain more information before they provide their submissions to the plan and we urge people to take advantage of this opportunity.
“While this is a council plan, it’s really about the community and what they want for their district,” Mr Ion says.
The full plan document will also be available, and it has been designed to make the information easy to read, with clear explanations of what is proposed and why, as well as providing the detailed budgets.
“The council relies on public feedback through the submission process, to help give a picture of what the community thinks of what’s proposed as the decisions are made for the final plan,” Mr Ion says.
The open days will be held at:
- Ngaruawahia Thurs 12 April 7.30pm to 9.00pm Ngaruawahia War Memorial Hall
- Pukekawa Tues 17 April 7.30pm to 9.00pm Pukekawa Hall
- Tuakau Wed 18 April 7.30pm to 9.00pm Tuakau Memorial Hall
- Raglan Thurs 19 April 6.00pm to 7.30pm Raglan Town Hall
- Te Kauwhata Mon 23 April 7.30pm to 9.00pm Te Kauwhata Rugby Club Rooms
- Huntly Tues 24 April 6.00pm to 7.30pm Huntly War Memorial Hall
- Tamahere Thurs 26 April 6.00pm to 7.30pm Tamahere Community Centre
Consultation opens Thursday 5 April 2012, and closes at 4pm, Wednesday 9 May, 2012.
Submission forms are included in the summary is also be available on line
There will also be hearings for those who want to speak to the councillors about their submissions, with hearing dates as follows:
- Monday 21 May 9am to 4pm
- Wednesday 23 May 1pm to 8pm
- Thursday 24 May 9am to 4pm
- Friday 25 May 9am to 4pm
The final plan will be adopted on Tuesday, 26 June 2012.
“it has been designed to make the information easy to read, with clear explanations of what is proposed and why, as well as providing the detailed budgets”. So where’s the clear explanation of water meter charges and bus subsidies? What happened to the money for Raglan walkways, including the footpath to Manu Bay? Is it being given to Te Awa? Why is funding for Coastguard and Surf Lifesaving frozen? What happened to Harbour Care funding? Why is $3m+ going on road ‘growth’? Maybe the Residents and Ratepayers meeting on Friday 13 7pm in the Supper Room will be able to get some of the answers?
I was looking for information in the mail out version on the water metres being imposed on all residents in Raglan. It appears to me that Raglan is very conscious about water use and accept that we have to restrict watering our gardens so visitors can flush their toilets over summer.
Many people live on a fixed income and I would rather conserve water over summer, than pay metre rates, on top of the huge fee charged to connect to town supply. Water metres in Raglan seem to me a bit like unmarked speed cameras- a source of revenue raising.
Raglan is blessed with fresh source of water and unlike other townships in the district doesn’t have to use treated and pumped water from the sadly degraded Waikato River.
My recollection is that the introduction of water meters in Raglan was proposed by WDC a few years ago. At that time they did their ‘consultation’ and as there wasn’t much feedback the proposal was approved by the Council. What is happenning now is just implementation of that plan- money to put the meters in and setting the charges. As John Lawson has pointed out previously, in Raglan’s situation water meters tend to penalise permanent residents and reward holiday home owners. You would have to look at the WDC historical records to examine the case for and against.