Rotorua Lakes Council will not be consulting on its annual plan for the coming year after announcing an overall rates increase across the district of 1.9 per cent.
The rates increase is lower than the 2.5 per cent approved in the council's long-term plan agreed last year. Under new rules set out by the Government councils are not required to consult the public, unless significant changes are being made to long-term plans.
But at a meeting of the council's strategy, policy and finance committee today there was heated discussion about whether changes to the budget for the controversial shared library and health hub project should be publicly consulted.
According to a report to councillors by the council's governance and partnerships manager Oonagh Hopkins, "consultation on an annual plan is no longer a Special Consultative Procedure and can be conducted by methods chosen by individual councils. If material or significant changes are identified a consultation document and supporting documents must be used to communicate changes to the community."
Read more:
• Councillors given dos and don'ts for elections
• Advice sought on health hub conflicts