MEDIA RELEASE

Council will debate proposal

EMBARGOED until Tuesday 13 March 2007

Environment Bay of Plenty councillors will decide on Thursday whether a proposal to move its head office to Tauranga should go to the next stage – public consultation.

Over the past few months, council staff have undertaken detailed investigative work of financial costs, accommodation requirements and economic and social impacts.

They have now developed a full proposal to present to the council meeting on Thursday 15 March.

After studying all of the information, councillors will decide at the meeting whether to take the proposal a step further, and propose an amendment to Environment Bay of Plenty’s Ten Year Plan. If that should happen, the council will then consult with the public on it as part of the Annual Plan process. All the information will be made publicly available so people will be able to study it before making their submissions.

“This is a significant proposal for the Bay of Plenty, and councillors will be weighing up all the factors very carefully,” says chief executive, Bill Bayfield.

Submissions to the draft Annual Plan 2007/08 open Friday 30 March, and close Wednesday 2 May. Submission hearings will be held from Monday 21 May to Wednesday 23 May. The Annual Plan 2007/08 is formally adopted Thursday 21 June 2007.

ENDS

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