Greater Wellington Regional Council Proposed Annual Plan

Greater Wellington Regional Council today approved its proposed Annual Plan for 2011/12 for public consultation.

Councillor Daran Ponter says that the Regional Council proposes to raise $84.571 Million via general and targeted rates in 2011/12. “The average rates increase for residential property owners ratepayers in the Wellington City area will be 0.45%. This compares to a 4.6% average rates increase for the Wellington Region as a whole” say Councillor Ponter.

“The Council has been very conscious that we are in recessionary times and that the public expect belt tightening by all public authorities” says Councillor Ponter.

Councillor Ponter says that the general rate has decreased over 2009/10 due to increased returns from investments and lower debt servicing costs. “River management costs have also decreased due to lower debt servicing costs of completed projects”.

Councillor Ponter says that the primary contributor to the proposed rate increase, is the new rail package which was recently negotiated between the Regional Council and the Government. He says that “The rail improvements are necessary for the operation of a safe, comfortable and increasingly reliable rail network.”

Copies of the proposed annual plan will be available from 28 March at www.gw.govt.nz or from the Wellington Regional Council’s offices in Wellington or Masterton. A copy of the summary document will be in peoples' letterboxes just after the 28th March. Annual Plan clinics will be held in April. Watch your papers for dates.

Public submissions on the Proposed Annual Plan close on 28 April 2011.

ENDS

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