Masterton Mayor Gary Caffell is urging the community to take time to have their say on Masterton District Council’s proposed 2024-34 Long-Term Plan, Tō Wāhi, Tō Mahere – Your Place, Your Plan.

“Staff and elected members of the Council have been working on the proposed LTP for more than a year – now it’s time for people in our community to be part of the planning.

“This Council is committed to focusing on ensuring essential infrastructure is up to scratch – things like roads, water, and waste networks – but we also want to provide opportunities for growth and innovation.”

Over the next 10 years it is planned to spend $159.9 million on roading, $51.2million on water, $30.9m on wastewater, $12.2m on stormwater, $90.9m on community facilities and parks, and $1.2m on solid waste.

The impact on next year's rates, based on the budgets in the proposed LTP, is an overall average increase in the 2024/25 year of 10.6 per cent. This varies between urban and rural - the average increase for urban ratepayers will be 9.3 per cent and the average for rural ratepayers 14.8 per cent. Changes in valuations will cause variations around those percentages.

The proposed LTP sets out three options for the Town Hall site, and for the library and archive.

“These projects were included in the last Long-Term Plan in 2021, but increasing costs mean we believe a change of tack is required,” the Mayor said. “This will include investigating external funding sources to bring down the cost to ratepayers.

“We’re also proposing some efficiencies now to reduce the rates impact and have a range of reviews planned to ensure services are meeting our community’s needs and being delivered in the most efficient way.”

The 2021-31 Long-Term Plan included plans to refurbish Masterton’s town centre while carrying out essential work on the underground water main.

Costs to deliver the Town Centre Revamp project have escalated significantly since 2021, and the Council thinks this is no longer affordable for our community at this time - but the essential infrastructure work still needs to be done. The proposed preferred option is to do the infrastructure work while leaving the streetscape as it is.

Also included, are proposals to make funding for community groups and organisations contestable, and the following changes to services:

• reduce Wairarapa Economic Development (WEDS) Funding
• cease funding for regional Walking and Cycling facilitation
• cease funding for regional Positive Ageing facilitation
• seek further external funding for Welcoming Communities facilitation beyond 2025
• increase the Community-Led Climate Initiatives Fund rather than funding Climate Activation facilitation beyond April 2026.

Consultation is open until 10am, Monday, 6 May.

The consultation document and supporting information is available on the Council website – www.mstn.govt.nz - with hard copies available at Masterton District Library and the Council’s Customer Service Centre at 161 Queen Street.

Submissions can also be emailed to: submissions@mstn.govt.nz

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