Tell us what you think about Council’s spending plans

There are still a few more days to ensure councillors hear your views on the Council’s spending plans for the coming year.

Council’s Annual Plan for the next 12 months concentrates on roads, water supplies, stormwater and sewerage, and building or upgrading community facilities. But the programme also includes a series of new projects that weren’t included in the Long Term Plan – ranging from digitising Council’s resource consent process, building a new pyrolysis plant in this district and directing more resources at biosecurity protection to creating a new events space at Pollard Park and longer opening hours for the libraries.

Council expects to be able to deliver its whole programme with an increase of 2.33% in rates and charges – almost 3% less than was estimated in the Long Term Plan. At the same time, projected debt levels are well down.

Marlborough Mayor John Leggett is urging people to make a submission before next week’s deadline.

“We need to listen to people and this is the forum where that communication can happen. A submission needn’t be complicated and coming and talking to us about that submission shouldn’t be an intimidating experience. I want people to feel able to have their say and to know that councillors will be taking into consideration their ideas when it’s time to make final decisions.”

Submissions on the Annual Plan must be received by the Council by 5.00 pm on Wednesday 10 May.

The Mayor is also flagging the need for the public to start thinking about next year’s Long Term Plan 2018-28.

“The Long Term Plan is one of Council’s most important documents; it shows the direction that Council is taking on big projects and the priorities being set across all areas of Council activity. I’d urge anyone with an initiative or big idea that will benefit the region to start thinking now about making a submission as this is when our long-term funding decisions are made.”

ENDS.

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