Annual Plan 2022/2023
Proposed average rate increase: 12.5%
12.5% is the increase indicated in our LTP for year 2. We are achieving this by smoothing any additional increase into years 4 and 5. However, in the longer term smoothing increases into later years is unsustainable as continual smoothing would result in the need for short-term loan funding for operational costs resulting in an increase in rates.
Our proposed plan is designed to respond to the current challenges we are facing, while still providing a high-level of service in the most affordable way to the community.
Share your feedback in the comment form below.
Read moreDraft Annual Plan 2022/2023 Community Feedback Document
What's in our Plan?
Council, like every other organinsation, business and household is facing many challenges that we are addressing in this plan:
- Rising costs and supply shortages
- Getting the right people for the job
- Inflation
- Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic
- Three Waters Reform
Read more about the current challenges in the Community Feedback Document.
What changes are we proposing?
Responding to 3 waters regulation
New regulations introduced for public consultation in January 2022, set to come into force July 2022. Council will be required to purchase water monitoring equipment and treatment systems for 9 drinking water plants. Increased cost for chemicals and testing.
Review of fees and charges
We propose to increase many fees and charges by at least 5.9% (CPI) as part of our policy for user-pays.
Revenue and expenses
We are proposing to increase the budget for some activity areas and we have reviewed our expenses and identified where budgets have changed.
Capital Expenditure
Where we are continuing our capital programme as planned, we now have to account for greater costs due to inflation. We have also included some new projects at the request of elected members.
Read more about our proposed changes in the Community Feedback Document.
To find out about what the indicative rates are likely to be if Council adopts all of the proposals and the preferred options outlined in this document see p 8 of the Annual Plan 2022/2023 Community Feedback Document or p 31 of the Draft Annual Plan 2022/2023.
Information on your property’s proposed rates for 2022/2023 will be available in the Council’s Rating Information Database (RID) in the month of May 2022.
In person
You have the option to speak to Council during the hearing on 14 June 2022. If you make a submission in writing, or online tick the box on the submission form to advise that you would like to speak at the hearing. If you only want to submit in person (no written submission), either call or email us to discuss this option.
If you choose to speak to the hearing you can join elected members in the Council Chamber or join electronically through Zoom. Staff will contact you to confirm your preferred option and advise you of your timeslot.
Online
You can make your submission online below.
In Writing
You can make a written submission by post or by sending us an email, or complete, scan and email the printable submission form.
Post: Westland District Council, 36 Weld Street, Hokitika 7811
Email: consult@westlanddc.govt.nz
Over the phone
If using the online submission form or sending an email is not an option, you can make a submission by calling Council on the number below.
Phone: 03 756 9010
Freephone: 0800 474 834
Submissions open: 9am, Friday 6 May 2022
Submissions close: 5pm, Monday 6 June 2022
Hearing, Deliberation and Decision: 9am, Tuesday 14 & Wednesday 15 June 2022 (Day two will only be used if necessary)
Please note: submissions will be publicly available on the council’s website, through inclusion in council agendas, and/or retrievable by request under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987. Contact details will redacted under the Privacy Act 1993.
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