Annual Plan 2023-24 engagement set to begin
Published on 28 March 2023
The 2023-24 Annual Plan engagement begins on Friday 31 March 2023, and we want to hear from the Waitaki community!
Waitaki District Council Chief Executive, Alex Parmley said, “Council continually focuses on the wellbeing of Waitaki’s communities and how we can deliver services and work better for our community. When we prepared our 2021-2031 Long Term Plan inflation levels were at 1.5%. At that time, we forecasted a rates increase in 2023-24 of 9.3%. With inflation now over 7%, we were looking at a rates increase of 15% to deliver the same services to our community. We couldn’t put that on our community so as a result, we have looked hard at what we are doing, and we are proposing some changes to our programme of activities and finances in order to reduce the forecast rates increase to 8.06% (average).”
We are seeking thoughts on the Waitaki Event Centre, unfunding depreciation, preparing for emergencies, Maheno water, reviewing our significance and engagement policy, better community wellbeing, keeping our roads safe and Weston rates. Additionally, we’re talking about Project Reclaim and coastal concerns and reforms and transformations.
Mr Parmley continued, “We need to consider the changing needs of the Waitaki community and the reforms we are subject to. Over the coming year we will put considerable effort into the transformation programme and look forward to people across the district seeing the benefits of these changes.”
Waitaki continues to see both key challenges and opportunities. Waitaki’s population is changing, we have a housing issue, costs are rising, there is a skills shortage and COVID is still impacting us. Furthermore, our climate is changing alongside our political environment.
Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher said, “Your feedback is important to Council. I encourage the community to engage with the 2023-24 Annual Plan, we want to hear from you.”
Every local authority must work to a planning cycle beginning with a Long-Term Plan, The Annual Report, and the Annual Plan. The next Long-Term plan is scheduled for 2024.
Community engagement is scheduled for 4 weeks from Friday 31 March 2023 – Sunday 30 April 2023. Engagement information will be available online and printed copies can be found at Waitaki District Council HQ, Waihemo Service Centre, Kurow Information Centre, and Waitaki District libraries.
ENDS