Council calls for community feedback on Annual Plan
Community feedback is being called for to help shape the Taupō District Council’s plans and priorities for the next 12 months.
This feedback process is part of council’s Annual Plan consultation period running from today, Monday 14 March to 4.30pm on Thursday 14 April 2022.
Taupō District Mayor David Trewavas said hearing from the community is an important part of shaping the plan – which continues to evolve thanks to the fast-moving environment we find ourselves in.
“What we aim to achieve with this plan is balancing affordability for ratepayers with maintaining the levels of service and investment that our district needs to thrive.
“What I’m sure we are all feeling right now are the ongoing effects of Covid-19, including constraints on the availability of resources, materials and supplies, alongside increasing inflation rates not seen in over three decades. These are impacting on the affordability of many of our plans and projects.
“With this evolving situation, and in order to balance that affordability, we need to be a bit more flexible in our approach to investment across our district. This means we’re looking to reprioritise some of our projects and activities to later years, while focusing on delivering many of our projects already underway, including the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity afforded to us with Taupō Town Centre Transformation project.
“By reprioritising projects, it allows us to keep the projected capital spend over the next 12 months around the same as what we had planned for.
“What we’re asking for feedback on is whether you’re comfortable with this more nimble approach – as we work through this fast-changing environment. Our Annual Plan consultation document goes into more detail about the major projects we had planned for the next 12 months and how the current climate has affected these – primarily in terms of costs and timing – and what we are proposing for these.
“Alongside this, we are also asking for feedback on updates to our fees and charges, the Taupō Towncentre management rate, and our significance and engagement policy which we have recently updated.
“Please take the time to read through our plans and the issues we have highlighted. We want to hear from you – our community – on whether you think we have this right, whether we have prioritised appropriately, and what is important to you,” Mr Trewavas said.
Based on the current plan, the projected average rates rise for 2022/2023 is around 8.35%, with a proportion of this due to increasing government costs and regulations, like the requirement to purchase carbon units which have doubled in price in the past 12 months under the Emissions Trading Scheme.
To read the Annual Plan consultation document and to have your say head to taupo.govt.nz/haveyoursay.
Poll: Is it rude to talk on the phone on a bus?
Buses can be a relaxing way to get home if you have a seat and enough space. However, it can be off-putting when someone is taking a phone call next to you.
Do you think it's inconsiderate for people to have lengthy phone calls on a bus? Vote in the poll, and add your comments below.
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63.9% Yes
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33.6% No
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2.5% Other - I'll share below
Become an SPCA Foster Hero!
Kitten season has arrived, and over the next six months, over 8,000 cats and kittens will come into SPCA’s care. Please help us give these babies the best start in life and sign up to be a foster parent today! It's not just cats and kittens - we are also urgently seeking foster homes for dogs and small animals.
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Have you picked up your tickets to our 80th anniversary party yet?
Kia ora neighbours, here is the cover of our amazing 80th anniversary special edition! There's just enough time to book your ticket to join editor Jo McCarroll at Hamilton Gardens on November 11. Ticketholders will get this special (RRP $16.20) in their goody bags. Each goody bag is also packed with gardening paraphernalia and a brand new Jack Hobbs-bred Hebe 'The Gardener' plant, released to mark this amazing milestone. Plus you'll also get all-day entry to the Enclosed Gardens, canapes and bubbles
, and spot prizes. We'd love to see you there.