Taranaki Regional Council wants the public’s views on six key focus areas as it looks at how to meet the challenges the region faces over the next decade.
Feedback on the draft 2024/2034 Long-Term Plan (LTP) will run from 10 March to 12 April with the views set to shape the Council’s strategic direction and funding.
Decisions have to be made on six areas which are crucial to many of the work programmes the Council delivers including how it continues to care for freshwater, protect biodiversity, control predators, adapt to climate change and manage resources.
Chair Charlotte Littlewood says the LTP will enable the Council to respond to the gathering pace of regulatory reform and funding changes while ensuring work continues on improving lifestyles, supporting livelihoods and taking the region forward.
“We want as many people as possible to get involved with our community conversation and share their views on the big decisions we have to make,” says Mrs Littlewood.
“The six key focus areas cover many parts of our core work. Public feedback will help determine what we prioritise and where the funding goes to ensure we keep delivering services essential to the wellbeing and future of our communities.”
The Council is proposing an overall rates increase of 16.3% for 2024/2025. While in percentage terms this is higher than previous years, for most ratepayers the financial impact will be measured in tens of dollars over the course of a year.
Mrs Littlewood says the Council had worked hard to keep the increase as low as possible, as it was very aware of the pressures many in the community were facing. The Council’s rates remain among the lowest in New Zealand.
“However with growing costs and demands, the reality is our budgets must rise if we are to deliver on our plan for the future.”
The six areas the Council is seeking feedback on are:
- Improving resource management
- Delivering on freshwater
- Adapting to and mitigating climate change
- Our approach to possum control
- The future of Towards Predator-Free Taranaki
- Protecting indigenous biodiversity.
“These areas affect everyone’s day to day lives and livelihoods so we’ve got to get our approach right. These are long-term issues and we need long-term planning,” Mrs Littlewood added.
“Improving resource management is about how we can plan for the future of Taranaki. Given that central government regulations can be uncertain and change after an election, we think a coherent and consistent approach to planning is vital for the region and will help protect our natural resources and environment.
“We also need to think about how we respond to climate change. It’s an existential threat to our environment and we need to take action sooner rather than when it might be too late. The same goes for how we care for freshwater. Although the rules are uncertain, we need a plan to protect this precious resource in the short and longer term.
“We’ve seen so much improvement in how we’re protecting biodiversity and dealing with predators in recent years. The question now is how we build on this, especially when there is no guarantee or continued external funding for some of our programmes.
“That’s a lot of information to take in so we’ve summarised things in a consultation document which sets out all the options including the key question of the impact on costs. We’re urging people to read this and we’re looking forward to hearing their views.”
The consultation on the LTP runs from 10 March to 12 April and people can view the options and provide feedback at trc.govt.nz/longtermplan from 10 March.
Fast facts: The LTP
- The Council puts together an LTP every three years.
- It sets out a detailed plan for the next three years and an outline for the remaining seven years.
- The LTP is a requirement of the Local Government Act 2002.
- As well as setting out the Council’s priorities, it contains funding information on everything the Council does.
- Submitters can also have a say on the LTP at hearings between 6 to 8 May.
- The finalised LTP will become active on 1 July this year.