Waipā District Council to consider option to defer Long Term Plan

Waipā District Council is to consider the option of deferring its Long Term Plan.

Waipā District Council is proposing to defer the adoption of its Long Term Plan until next June and instead take advantage of the Government’s offer to do an Enhanced Annual Plan for the 2024/2025 financial year.

The move comes after the repeal of the previous Government’s Three Waters legislation and the requirement to reintroduce costs for three waters into the council’s 10-year budgets.

It would mean the council can formulate its work programme and budgets for a 12-month period, consulting with the community before its adoption, and better understand central government changes in terms of legislation before setting a longer term work programme.

Chief executive Garry Dyet said a staff recommendation to take advantage of the Enhanced Annual Plan offer would be considered by the council at an extraordinary meeting on March 5.

“The Government is expecting to establish a framework and transitional arrangements for councils to self-determine future service delivery arrangements for three waters by mid-2024,” Dyet said.

“A second wave of legislation will be introduced in December 2024 and enacted in mid-2025 that will provide for a range of structural and financing tools with regard to three waters.

“This option will afford the time for the council to better understand the intended legislation and what it means for us and explore other measures to relieve financial pressures.”

Other councils were also considering the Enhanced Annual Plan option. Neighbouring local authority Waikato District Council confirmed at a council meeting yesterday that it would be pursuing that option.

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