Provisional decisions on Annual Plan made

Over the past two weeks Horizons Regional Councillors have been listening to submissions and deliberating on activities for the 2014/15 Annual Plan.

Eighty-one submissions spreading over a range of activities and projects were made to the draft Annual Plan, with 40 choosing to speak to their submission.

“We have been impressed by the number and quality of submissions made to the council this year and they have helped us to form our decisions,” says Horizons Chairman Bruce Gordon,

“After listening to feedback from the community we have amended some areas of the plan.”

The decisions will be put forward to the next Regional Council meeting on June 24th for adoption.

Within the changes the living heritage activity budget has been restored to 2012/13 levels, with a proportion coming from general reserves.

The living heritage activity involves a number of projects including Te Apiti-the Gorge, the Massey Hill enhancement project, Turitea Reserve Pest control enhancement and Kia Wharite in the Ruapehu. The Rangitikei Environmental Group will also receive an additional $10,000 for the increasing level of work they do towards pest plant management.

A number of submissions were also made on Horizons funding policy with Council deciding that all revenue and financing policy changes be referred to the Long-term plan review next year.

Horizons councillors also voted for the Lower Whanganui flood protection scheme costs to be part funded from council’s 2013-14 projected surplus, alongside a one year rates payment from Wanganui ratepayers.

Excluding the one-off scheme payment costs for Wanganui ratepayers, the average rates increase across the region will be 4.8% for the 2014-15 year. This figure is just an average and will vary depending on where people live and the level of services they receive.

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