A portion of our rates is calculated on property values, so our staff have been working through a range of scenarios to keep the impact of this as even and fair as possible. Photo / Michael Cunningham
A portion of our rates is calculated on property values, so our staff have been working through a range of scenarios to keep the impact of this as even and fair as possible. Photo / Michael Cunningham
OPINION
It's been all hands to the pump at Council this month as we gear up for five rounds of public consultation.
First, we have our 2022-23 Annual Plan, followed by natural hazards pre-consultation (each household should have already received a letter about this), and then our consultation on possible locations for a new airport for Whangārei District.
Those of you familiar with council processes will know our Annual Plan consultation contains plans, projects, finances and rates proposed for the financial year July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023.
Leading up to this Annual Plan consultation, councillors and staff got together for workshops, briefings and meetings to consider any changes we need to make to our Long Term Plan in order to respond to changes since we adopted out 10-year Long Term Plan.
The biggest change any of us have seen in recent years must be the change to property valuations. Houses that may have sold for the mid-$100,000s bracket five years ago are now well into the $400,000 to $500,000 territory, while their owners' incomes may not have risen much (if at all) in that time.
A portion of our rates is calculated on property values, so our staff have been working through a range of scenarios to keep the impact of this as even and fair as possible. Our proposed solution to this forms part of our Annual Plan consultation, and I urge everyone to go online or grab a copy from a library or customer service centre, then have your say.
In conjunction with the Annual Plan consultation, we are also seeking your feedback on the proposed Rates Remission & Postponement Policy – Māori Freehold Land, and the Proposed Fees and Charges 2022-2023.
We have another two consultations opening in April. The first of these is about changes to our District Plan relating to natural hazards. The District Plan contains all the rules and regulations controlling what people may or may not develop on their properties. We ensure that no part of the District Plan is more than 10 years old by reviewing different chapters every year, followed by an informal consultation on the proposed changes.
In this case, we sent letters to property owners advising them of new hazard maps from the Northland Regional Council and highlighting how we can manage risks through the District Plan. Your feedback will be incorporated into our draft plan changes and then formal consultation process will begin.
The fifth consultation is around three possible sites for a potential new airport in this district in the next decade or so. Nothing is certain, no decisions have been made, but we need to be thinking about and planning for contingencies.
Simon Weston (right), our current general manager for infrastructure, will be moving into the chief executive role once Rob Forlong (left) completes his tenure this year. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Last Thursday we made the announcement that Simon Weston, our current general manager for infrastructure, will be moving into the chief executive role once Rob Forlong completes his tenure this year. Simon brings with him a wealth of knowledge about our council projects and mahi, and his appointment provides continuity for the organisation. I also want to pay tribute to the massive contribution Rob has made to the organisation and our district in his role as chief executive over the last seven years.
The things Council does for and on behalf of our community affect all our daily lives, and I encourage you to take the opportunity to give us your feedback on our plans, as they shape our future together.
