"We received 276 submissions, a significant increase on previous long term and annual plans, on our consultation document 'Thriving Together - Whakawhanake Tahi'. This outlined what is important to our community - water quality and quantity, environmental protection, resilience and safety, regional collaboration and leadership and economic development," he said.
"Over four days of hearings in mid-April we heard from more than 100 organisations and individuals in Tauranga, Whakatane and Rotorua. Many requests went beyond the scope of the proposals, some beyond the scope of our existing functions and services."
Of 838 submission points, 285 - a third - were on community engagement, volunteer support and requests for funding. A total of $500,000 has been allocated for funding requests, the Council's Environmental Enhancement Fund and corporate sponsorship.
More than 40 per cent of submissions were on water quality and quantity, most supporting council programmes. Giving effect to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management is a key Long Term Plan priority, and resourcing is in place to support decision making for limit setting in the Water Management Areas. The Kaituna and Rangitaiki catchments are the first areas to go through the limit setting process.
Mr Leeder said demand was higher than funds available for biodiversity, so the council needed to prioritise. Funding has also been increased to control containment pests - those that are well established in the region, and continued funding for the Tb Free NZ programme.
Mr Leeder said 37 submissions were received from Maori, almost 14 per cent of total submissions, indicating that Maori were more engaged than ever with the council.
"Maori are requesting more opportunities to provide feedback into our processes, and recognition of matauranga Maori [traditional knowledge] to inform our decision-making on freshwater. Our very successful Maori Capacity Conference will remain a biennial event.
"We have reinstated funding for Bay of Connections and SmartGrowth, will complete the eastern Bay spatial plan and retain funds to complete our own spatial plan, publish Invest Bay of Plenty data and undertake a feasibility study into a marine spatial plan. We've agreed to increase the operational budget by an extra $50,000 in 2015/16 to help cover the Regional Growth Study costs."
Mr Leeder said the council had budgeted over $11 million for contributions towards sewerage schemes in Rotoma, Rotoiti, Te Puna West and Ongare Point, subject to community agreement, consents and conditions. These projects are led by the District Councils.
Over $42 million of funding is allocated over the next five years to contribute to regional infrastructure projects. These four projects, the Opotiki Harbour Transformation, Tauranga Marine Precinct, Tauranga Tertiary Campus and SCION Innovation Centre offer truly transformational economic change. Council intends to rebuild a regional fund for a range of priorities across the region, and the funding policy will be reviewed.
Overall, the council is spending 33 per cent of its operational budget on environmental protection, 23 per cent on water quality and quantity, 16 per cent on resilience and safety, 15 per cent on regional collaboration and leadership and 13 per cent on economic development, in line with its regional priorities.
