Our formal consultation for our Long Term Plan (LTP) proposals closed on Monday 8 April. You can still view this page here.
We've prepared our draft long term plans and budgets for 2024-2034 and beyond, and from 8 March to 8 April we asked for your take on our proposals. There are some big challenges ahead for the Coromandel and we wanted to hear your thoughts on how we tackle them.
We received 349 items of written feedback during the consultation period - 235 of these were from individuals; 113 were made on behalf of organisations.You can see the written feedback we received here: 2024-34 Long Term Plan - Hearing Pack.
People who asked to present their views in person to our elected members were able to speak to their responses at our hearings meetings held on 1 and 2 May 2024.
You can still read our consultation document ‘Tackling the Future Head on: What’s your take?’ It sets out the key things you need to know, including our long-term proposals and budget forecasts for the next 10 years and beyond. If you still have questions, check out the ‘Supporting information’ section below for more in-depth information, and be sure to read our Frequently Asked Questions document.
What's next for our LTP?
- LTP budgets are currently being revised to determine any impact on the rates and to set the final rates for the 2024/25 financial year
- Our draft LTP began its formal, independent audit process on 6 June 2024. any revisions resulting from the audit process will be taken into account prior to adopting the Plan
- Our final LTP is scheduled to be adopted on 27 June
- After the Plan is adopted, we’ll share the final LTP document and key decisions on this website page.
What happened at our LTP deliberations?
Our elected members met over 21 May and 22 May to deliberate on public feedback from our Long Term Plan (LTP) formal consultation period.
Our Councillors and Mayor Len Salt made some final decisions on the five key issues we consulted on as they sought to balance keeping rates affordable and including some of the key works projects that our communities asked for.
What was decided?
- Key Decision 1 – Managing the rates spike: Our Council decided to proceed with its preferred option 2 – to spread the rates increases over two years.
- Key Decision 2 – Investing in future planning: Our Council decided to proceed with its preferred option 1 – to invest more in proactive planning for the future.
- Key Decision 3 – Investing in Connected Communities: Our Council decided to proceed with its preferred option 2 – to carry on the work it started through the cyclone recovery programme but funding it ourselves through rates from year 2 (July 2025 onwards). We also resolved that staff should focus on securing more external funding to enable community-led development and to enhance Council’s role as a community facilitator.
- Key Decision 4 – Increasing fees and charges to keep rates manageable: Our Council decided to proceed with its preferred option 1 – to increase its revenue from fees and charges by 3 per cent overall.
- Key Decision 5 – The future of the Thames Council buildings: Our Council decided to do further investigation on a leasehold arrangement as a result of public feedback our Council received from the LTP consultation. This option wasn’t included in the proposals for our consultation document, Tackling the Future Heads On: What’s Your Take? Our Council will investigate a new site for the Thames council offices, including an independent assessment, to understand the risks of remaining in the current buildings. Staff will report back on their investigations by December 2024 and a final decision on the future of our Thames Council offices will be deferred until then.
Other key highlights
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In respect of key decision 5, option 1, our Council resolved to investigate a new site for the Thames council offices, including an independent assessment, to understand the risks of remaining in the current buildings. Staff will report back on their investigations by December 2024 and a final decision on the future of our Thames Council offices will be deferred until then.
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An additional $1.3 million of capital expenditure was included in the LTP Roading activity budget for Year 1 (2024/25) for the Thornton Bay Slip stabilisation project. The work is 100% funded as a storm recovery project, but our Council will need to include funding for depreciation costs in its budgets.
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Additional operational budget was included in the LTP wastewater and water supply activities in Year 1 (2024/25) and Year 2 (2025/26) to carry out community consultation in relation to the extension of the Wharakeho and Hahei wastewater and water supply networks.
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An additional $2,173,617 of capital expenditure was included in the LTP Rubbish and Recycling activity over the next two years to provide for the replacement of the current Whitianga Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station.
What is a LTP?
The LTP is a key planning document that we develop every three years. It outlines all the things our Council does and how they fit together. It contains the strategic direction for Council’s finances and infrastructure, identifies what projects we plan to do over the next 10 years and beyond, and what we estimate it will cost to pay for them. The Plan also sets the rates for the 2024/24 financial year, and forecasts indicative rates for the coming decade.
As a Council, we've asked for the participation and feedback of our staff, elected members, iwi and other partners including government agencies, ratepayers and local communities, as we continue to move through the process of developing our final LTP, which we'll be adopting in late June.
What are the challenges ahead?
Like many councils around Aotearoa New Zealand, we’ve got some big challenges ahead, but we’re tackling them head on:
- A large roading repair and improvement programme to fix damage done by last year’s cyclones
- Costly coastal protection works to mitigate the impact of rising sea levels
- Ageing infrastructure (like water treatment plants) that must be replaced
- The rising cost of living and high inflation
- Higher government compliance standards that cost more to meet
- A shortage of affordable housing.
If you'd like to know more, watch our Chief Executive Aileen Lawrie and Mayor Len Salt as they discuss some of the key issues impacting our planning for facilities and services.
What are our main priorities for this LTP?
We’re prioritising the resilience of our district in our budgets and planning. We’re focusing on building strong foundations to continue the recovery from the extreme weather events of last year, and building resilience into the infrastructure and facilities our Council provides, and enabling recovery and resilience within our communities. We've made some provision in our proposed long-term budgets for roading repairs and improvements, moderating the effects of climate change, helping our communities to become more resilient, and managing our economic growth.
How did we use your LTP consultation feedback?
While we are required by law to indicate a preferred option for the big issues that we’re asking for feedback on, we do have flexibility to consider changes based on your feedback. All the feedback you provided during the LTP consultation period was noted by our teams, and considered during the LTP deliberations on 21 and 22 May. Your feedback helped to inform the final decisions our elected members made about our LTP, which is scheduled to be adopted on 27 June. As part of an open and transparent consultation process, all feedback is treated as public once received.
Supporting information
• Long Term Plan Consultation Document 2024(PDF, 4MB)
• FAQ for Long Term Plan and Consultation(PDF, 205KB)
• Draft development contributions policy(PDF, 4MB)
• Draft financial strategy(PDF, 808KB)
• Draft infrastructure strategy(PDF, 3MB)
• Draft remission and postponement of rates on Māori freehold land policy(PDF, 442KB)
• Draft revenue and financing policy(PDF, 366KB)
• Financial statements(PDF, 901KB)
• Our activities & performance framework(PDF, 473KB)
• Our capital expenditure project lists by activity(PDF, 700KB)
• Our forecasting assumptions(PDF, 722KB)
• Schedule of fees and charges(PDF, 1MB)