Horizons Regional Council chairwoman Rachel Keedwell. Photo / Bevan Conley
Horizons Regional Council chairwoman Rachel Keedwell. Photo / Bevan Conley
Horizons Regional Council has formally adopted its Long-Term Plan for 2024-34, which sets out how the council plans to manage the region’s natural resources “to ensure a healthy environment where the people are thriving”.
Horizons chairwoman Rachel Keedwell thanked the large number of submitters who shared their feedback on key issues, along with areas of Horizons’ work they felt passionate about.
“It is important for our community to have their say during this process, and to feel like they have been heard. We appreciate all who took the time to provide feedback, in particular those who came to speak to their submissions.”
The council received 540 submissions, up from the 439 submissions in 2021, and heard from 63 submitters in person.
“That feedback led to some robust discussions around the council table, as we looked to strike the right balance between affordability and the work we must do.”
As part of Horizons Regional Council's long-term plan, it decided to increase levels of service in public transport.
The council resolved to increase levels of service for public transport in Whanganui, Horowhenua and the wider region, and to implement the council’s preferred levels of service for mapping highly productive land. Levels of service for freshwater activities have been reduced, while the council’s preferred option of 100% user pays for the water meters structure will remain.
Horizons will transition to an integrated catchment management approach, and there will be no change in insurance level cover for river management insurances.
The council also sought feedback on its proposed strategic framework and proposed updates to the revenue and financing policy.
Opposition from 66% of submitters resulted in the council reconsidering the use of investment revenue to better reflect where investment money originated from. Keedwell said 20% was to offset uniform annual general charges, with 80% to offset the general rate.
Following community feedback, funding of drainage schemes will revert to the 2021 policy, with 20% to come from the general rate and 80% from the targeted rate.
“When you look at these changes to the draft plan, I think our community can take comfort in the fact that we have listened and paid attention to their concerns.”
As a result of the adopted changes, the total rate increases in the Horizons region for the first year will be 11.7%, then 12% in the second year and 9% in the third year.
Keedwell said long-term plans were often measured as the average rates increase for ratepayers, but that type of figure was hard to quantify across the Horizons region.
“The rating impact will differ from district to district, property to property, due to factors such as changes to property values, and specific rating inputs such as river schemes, biosecurity and passenger transport. As a council, we recognise that any increase to rates will increase pressure on households, especially during these already tough economic times.
“We have been as prudent in our spending as possible, as we know that the work we will carry out as part of this long-term plan has a direct impact on our community and providing an environment we can all be proud of, right now, and for generations to come.”
The final Horizons 2024-34 Long-term Plan, with details of work programmes, will be available on Horizons’ website horizons.govt.nz in the next few weeks. Residents who want to check what their next rates invoice will look like can use the rates search tool from next week at horizons.govt.nz/property-rates/rates-search
