Water quality focus for plan

Doug Leeder said demand was higher than funds available for biodiversity, so the council needed to prioritise. Photo / George Novak

The Bay of Plenty Regional Council has adopted a long-term plan it says focuses on delivering healthy water and soils and resilient communities.

Its 2015-2025 plan, formally adopted yesterday, outlines $104million worth of operational work in the region next year, and a total average rates rise of 6.5 per cent for the 2015/16 year, with lower rises planned in subsequent years. That means between $1 and $28 will be added to the average annual rates bill per property.

Regional council chairman Doug Leeder said preparing the long-term plan was the result of robust consultation with the community.

"We received 276 submissions, a significant increase on previous long-term and annual plans," he said.

"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.

Of 838 submission points, 285 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.

Mr Leeder said demand was higher than funds available for biodiversity, so the council needed to prioritise.

Funding has also been increased to control pests that were well established in the region and the Tb Free NZ programme will continue to receive funding.

Mr Leeder said 37 submissions were received from Maori 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 fresh water.

"Our very successful Maori Capacity Conference will remain a biennial event," he said.

"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 more than $11million for contributions towards sewerage schemes in Rotoma, Rotoiti, Te Puna West and Ongare Point, subject to community agreement, consents and conditions. Those projects are led by the respective district councils.

More than $42million of funding was allocated over the next five years to contribute to regional infrastructure projects.

Those four projects - the Opotiki Harbour Transformation, Tauranga Marine Precinct, Tauranga Tertiary Campus and Scion Innovation Centre - offered truly transformational economic change.

The council was 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.

Regional council long-term plan
•Total average rates rise of 6.5 per cent for 2015/16.
•276 submissions received.
•$500,000 allocated for funding requests.
•$11million for sewerage schemes.
•$42million in the next five years for regional infrastructure projects.