This section contains information about the Draft Annual Plan for 2010-2011.

The draft Annual Plan, which was adopted for consultation on 22nd March has stayed with the commitment in the 2009 LTCCP to cap Council debt at $130 million and follows through on a promise to keep rates increases to 3% or the Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is lower. As the CPI was 2% in December 2009, the increase in rates has been lowered from the 3% forecast in the LTCCP to 2%.

Council's total income for 2010/11 is projected to be $134 million and the Annual Plan largely follows the LTCCP programme with around $50 million of capital expenditure. Apart from the timing change for the second harbour crossing, the other changes to the LTCCP are a pump replacement programme for the Hikurangi Swamp Scheme and coastal protection works at McGregor's Bay (both funded through targeted rates) plus some additional funding for community halls and a further upgrade to the dog pound.

Under the Local Government Act 2002, the Council can only make significant changes to its adopted 10 Year Plan if it consults specifically on the changes. Council is consulting on one significant change to the 2009-2019 LTCCP. We welcome your comments on this topic. If other significant changes are raised through submissions, the Council will not be able to adopt them unless it goes through another major consultation exercise or waits and consults on them through the next 10 Year Plan, due for consultation in early 2012.

The submissions period closed on 26th April. Hearings for those submitters who requested to be heard will be held in the week beginning 10th of May. Following this initial meeting, Council examines and considers all submissions before its deliberation meeting which is scheduled for 17 June 2010. During this meeting Councillors will discuss the submissions received and may make some changes to the Annual Plan and Amended LTCCP as a result. Shortly after that the final version of the 2010-11 Annual Plan will be adopted as well as the Amendment should Council choose to proceed.