Long Term Plan 2015 - 2025
Your rates for 2015-16
We nad an average 2.88% rate rise in 2015/16 alongside a draw on our wastewater reserves.
That's because in the 2015/16 year, we were addressing a major cost impact. The three eastern seaboard wastewater plants, completed in 2009, cost approximately $93M.
In the planning phase, before the global financial crisis, it was assumed that 66% would eventually be paid by development contributions via future growth. With the recession this assumption was dashed and in 2015 some $46.6M of unpaid debt will need to transfer to existing ratepayers as future growth will not be enough to repay all of this debt within the 50 year life of the plants. In fact, 1.8% of this average 2.88% rates rise in the first year is attributed to that unpaid debt.
Over the next ten years, $580M is to be spent on core infrastructure and our rates increases will be an average 2.08% per year. If the situation changes favourably in the future, we will review this.
The Council received over 500 submissions to its Consultation Document(PDF, 4MB) and proposed associated policies. As a result of consultation on the Long Term Plan we have changed our approach on a number of key proposals after listening to our communities. The submissions Council's decisions areThe Council has adopted a new Development Contributions Policy, Revenue and Financing Policy (included within the Long Term Plan) and a Rates Remission Policy. You can access all these files by clicking on the title (the blue words).
What is the Long Term Plan?
The Long Term Plan describes the Council's financial strategy and financial position for the next 10 years. It includes the income and expenditure budgets for each council activity and shows the impact of these budgets on rates and user fees. The long term plan is based on assumptions about:
- our economy in the future - likely growth rates, inflation and interest rates
- the district going forward - population changes, land use changes
- the services we deliver - when the renewing of assets is required, impact from recent legislation
All the factors above affect the council's financial situation and the rates that you pay. The Council develops a long term plan every three years to adapt to significant changes in our circumstances which can come from our own updated information, changes in external factors and in response to community needs. These changes in circumstances may result in a change in direction and this may have different effects on the budgets rates and services described in this plan.
Long Term Plan Highlights
i-SITEs and Information Centres
District-wide funding has been retained. Information centres in Tairua, Pauanui, Whangamata and Coromandel town, are to be locally governed with local Area Office contract management. Thames and Whitianga i-SITES are now bith operated by Destination Coromandel.
The proposed $200 annual fee for anyone advertising to rent their home as short-term holiday accommodation has not been introduced this year.
This has been delayed for a year to give us time to work with accommodation industry stakeholders to explore alternative solutions.
Bed and Breakfast accommodation providers with four or more bedrooms are now rated in the commercial category.
Those with "licence to occupy" units in retirement villages now receive a local rates rebate equivalent to the central government rate. To qualify, the retirement village has to be able to prove that the remission goes back to the 'licence to occupy' owner.
Properties with an additional minor unit (such as a granny flat) will get an automatic 50% rates rebate if the unit is not greater than 50m2 (or 60m2 if it has the required certification). Conditions apply.
Stormwater is now district funded for those within Council's stormwater areas of service.
Our stormwater infrastructure also helps increase the Coromandel's resilience to weather events. Without appropriate stormwater management people would not be able to move freely around the community to go about their normal business.
The cemeteries and public conveniences around the Peninsula are now funded at a Community Board area level (local funding rather than district funded). This means each area can determine the level of service to be provided for their communities for these services.
Ongoing support will continue for our three key anchor projects:
- Coromandel Great Walks - Cathedral Cove Walkway
- Rail Trail Cycleway - Kopu To Kaiaua
- Coromandel Harbour Project
Funding highlights:
- WW1 Forest Project
- Heritage promotion
- Coromandel Arts Strategy development
- Surf lifesaving
- Coromandel Rescue Helicopter
- Sport Waikato
- Age Concern
Here are a few projects you'll hear more about soon* in your area:
*Some of these projects are already underway
Tairua-Pauanui Community Board area highlights
- Tairua Mary Beach Wharf and boat ramp
- Pauanui Trail
- Pepe Bridge Reserve
- Water. Council's Water Demand strategy will move from an investigation phase into solutions and options development in the first year of the long term plan.
Tairua: Work being completed at Pepe Stream will increase water supply, provide continuity of supply for regular demand and improve peak supply issues.
Pauanui: The Pauanui aquifer reconfiguration project, currently underway, will optimise the water supply system removing the need for a previously signalled upgrade.
Mercury Bay Community Board area highlights
- Whitianga town upgrade
- Mercury Bay Cemetery - Stage 2
- Brophy's Beach Coastal Erosion
- Hahei Pay and Display development
- Hot Water Beach toilet upgrade
- New toilets at Buffalo Beach and at the Bull Paddock
- Matarangi wastewater treatment upgrade
- Destination boatramp
Coromandel-Colville Community Board area highlights
- Coromandel Harbour project
- Coromandel Sportsville
- Sugarloaf upgrade
Thames Community Board area highlights
- "Active Thames" sports facilities programme
- New Mackay Street public carpark
- Thames promotion and marketing project budget
- Thames South water upgrade
- Airfield improvements
- Library building improvements
- Tapu Reserve landscaping including picnic tables
Whangamata Community Board area highlights
- Kerb priorities
- Footpath priorities
- Williamson Park redevelopment
- Development of Wentworth Valley seal extension and walkway/cycleway options and costs for next year's Annual Plan.
Our Draft Long Term Plan (LTP) for 2015 - 2025 closed for public consultation at 4pm on 9 April.
The final day for deliberations was Friday 22 May 2015. Council's final decisions were signed off on Wednesday 24 June 2015.