Mackenzie District Council has today released its draft Long-Term Plan (LTP) 2024-34 for public feedback following an extraordinary meeting in Fairlie last night.
The plan is out for consultation until Sunday June 23.
Mackenzie District Mayor Anne Munro is encouraging the public to provide feedback on the draft plan which is the council’s commitment to its communities and includes detailed information on the activities, services, and projects the council intends to deliver, and when, where, and how it delivers them. As well it sets out details of the Council’s funding and financial management. The draft LTP, including the consultation document and supporting documents has been audited by Audit New Zealand.
“As we develop our plan, we want to continue to demonstrate our commitment to our residents providing the investment needed for a good quality of life, while at the same time being prudent with ratepayers’ money, considering efficiencies, and listening to feedback from the public,” she says.
The Council has set out a plan of ongoing investment across the district to improve, replace and construct the necessary infrastructure and facilities for the community. To achieve this, it proposes spending $415.58 million on operating and capital costs in the next 10 years, of which $244.35 million will be funded by rates.
The highest annual average rate increase proposed is 14.7% in the first year (2024-25) of the LTP, with the average annual rates increases 6.5% over the 10 years of the plan. Individual rates may have increased by more or less than the overall average depending on which services are received at a property and how much a property’s value has increased compared to others in the recent property valuations.
“Developing this draft plan has been particularly challenging and we have had to make some very difficult decisions about our priorities for the next 10 years. Our ratepayers’ ability to afford rate increases has been top of mind given the financial pressures they are under. While we recognise a large investment is required in infrastructure and services across the Mackenzie our ratepayers’ ability to pay is an issue we have taken seriously,” Anne Munro says.
“Ratepayers have given the Council a very clear message to prioritise delivering essential services and core infrastructure.”
The Council is proposing spending more than $80 million (allowing for inflation) on infrastructure over the next 10 years, with roading taking up the biggest chunk of the investment followed by wastewater and drinking water supplies. Public feedback is sought on the proposed investment in some major projects including an upgrade of Tākapo/Lake Tekapo wastewater treatment plant as the current plant and the discharge site have reached their capacity and bridge renewals, including the district’s largest bridge the Cass River bridge.
Other specific questions are based on the costs required to clean the district’s public toilets and also the level of the council’s spend on the removal of the rapidly spreading wilding pines in the Mackenzie basin.
“I urge our residents to comment on all aspects of the plan before we finalise it. We need our residents’ feedback, particularly about how we manage some key issues that we have identified. Whether you agree or disagree or have different suggestions, please let us know by making a submission,” Anne Munro says.
Information, including the Consultation Document, will be available on the Council’s website at: letstalk.mackenzie.govt.nz/LTP24.
The public can also phone or call into Council offices in Fairlie and Twizel for further information.
What is a Long-Term Plan
Our Long-Term Plan (LTP) is completed every three years and outlines to our community how we intend to invest over the next 10 years. In any year that is not an LTP year, we develop an Annual Plan.