No consultation for Hawke's Bay Regional Council's annual plan

Hawke's Bay Regional council chairman Rick Barker at the March 30 meeting. He said the council was on track and true to the Long-Term Plan despite Covid and other variables. Photo / NZME

There will be no public consultation for Hawke's Bay Regional Council's Annual Plan 2022-23.

Councillors at the March 30 council meeting agreed there was no need to consult this year because they had maintained the momentum of the 2021 Long-Term Plan work programme.

Council chairman Rick Barker said the council was on track and true to the Long-Term Plan despite Covid and other variables.

"We foresee no significant changes to our work this year since consulting with the public last year."

"Having said that we operate in a dynamic space, dealing with natural events, supply issues, cost pressures and other uncertainties. Managing within these constraints may involve some shifts in priorities,"

This is only the second time the regional council has taken a no-consultation approach after the first time for the 2019-20 plan.

According to a statement from a council spokesperson, no consultation becomes an option when an Annual Plan contains no significant rating or service level changes to those already forecast.

The council agreed to stay inside the total forecast average rate increase of 15 per cent for 2022-23 proposed in the 2021-31 Long-Term Plan.

Chief executive James Palmer said the organisation had reviewed every budget area to ensure expenditure remained within budgets, despite increasing cost pressures, and that services were delivered as planned in the year ahead.

"We're facing the same staff and materials shortages and rising costs as other organisations, so we're adapting constantly to keep our projects moving forward,"