Wednesday 19 May 2010

Submissions close to draft Annual Plan

Well over 600 Clutha District residents and ratepayers have had their say on what’s planned for the district over the next year.

Submissions to Council’s draft Annual Plan, outlining services and projects it intends to deliver over the next year, closed on Monday 10 May following a month-long consultation period.

Senior Policy Analyst Larissa Brown said Council received over 600 responses and submissions relating to either the proposed Clutha Recreation Centre or West Otago Health, and a further 50 submissions relating to other matters.

Mrs Brown said 82% of the people who responded about the proposed Clutha Recreation Centre were in favour of Council increasing its contribution to the project from $1.2 million to $2.5 million.

About 79% of respondents were in favour of Council funding its contribution via a uniform charge for each Electoral Ward area, based on their proximity to the proposed Centre.

The response form was included in the Clutha Leader, mailed to out-of-district ratepayers, as well as being available at Council offices and on the Council website.

A further 90-odd submitters to the Annual Plan also commented on the proposed Recreation Centre, with the majority of these (about 75%) in favour of Council increasing its contribution.

Meanwhile, Mrs Brown said there was also a strong response to a survey asking West Otago ratepayers about Council’s proposed $1 million contribution to proposed new health facilities at Tapanui.

The survey was mailed to the owners of the 887 properties in the affected area, with a total of 328 surveys (37% returned).

Mrs Brown said 62% of survey respondents supported an increase in rates of about $88 per dwelling per year for 25 years to help pay for the proposed new health facilities.

Full data from the surveys will be presented along with all written submissions to assist councillors in their decision-making.

Council will meet tomorrow (Thursday 20 May) to hear from those 20-odd organisations and individuals who wish to speak to their submissions. Council will then meet again on Thursday 10 June to consider all of the submissions and debate any changes to the draft Annual Plan, before adopting the final Annual Plan and ‘striking the rates’ for 2010/11 on Thursday 24 June.

Click here for more information on the draft Annual Plan.

ENDS