Meeting on annual plan tomorrow

By Frank Neill

The Wainuiomata Community Board will host an evening where residents can share their views on what is important in the valley.

The meeting will be held at 6pm tomorrow, 27 April, at the Wainuiomata Community Hub.

The focus of the meeting will be Hutt City Council’s draft annual plan, which is currently available for consultation. Submissions on the plan close on 30 April.

"We want to hear from the community on what is important to them in Wainuiomata and what they would like to see in the next 12 months," Wainuiomata Community Board Chair Te Awa Puketapu says.

"The draft plan aims to balance what the community needs most with the need for prudent management in the face of these significant financial challenges,” Councillor Keri Brown adds.

“It is about striking a balance and getting the basics right."

"We encourage those who have not had a chance to have their say to come along to our session on Thursday and share your views and ask questions," Ms Puketapu says

The council’s draft annual plan aims to strike a balance between meeting the needs of the community and the challenges of managing the city's finances.

The plan includes a significant focus on water and infrastructure, with a range of spending cuts and proposed fee increases designed to limit rate increases.

A rates rise of 9.9% is included in the plan. This increase is 4% higher than the rates rise of 5.9% the council originally planned for this year.

The 9.9% rise would see the average rates bill increase by $5.02 per week per household, or $261 a year, the council says. Feedback received during the public consultation period will be considered when finalising the annual plan.

For more information about the draft annual plan and how to provide feedback, visit the Hutt City Council website: www. huttcity.govt.nz/hutt-city-annual-plan-2023.