Rotorua annual plan hold rates increase under one per cent

ROTORUA 01.07.13: Rotorua District Council has adopted its annual plan for the 2013/14 year with one of the lowest rates increases in recent history – just under one per cent.

This means Rotorua’s average rates increases over the last five years at less than two per cent remain among the lowest in the country.

Rotorua mayor Kevin Winters said the Rotorua community could be proud that such a low rates increase had been achieved while still maintaining services at high levels and investing strongly in measures that would help boost local economic performance, and continue to improve lake water quality.

“As a result of feedback from residents we’ve made a number of changes to the draft annual plan that previously went out to our community. There will be no purchase of the former bank building in the CBD and there will be a serious programme developed to reduce debt levels. The sale of surplus property and applying those additional funds to debt reduction is one of a number of measures to be investigated. The previously proposed bank building purchase and debt levels were two issues that many submitters expressed concern about. We listened and we’ve acted accordingly.

“We also won’t be cutting any of our services and we won’t be reducing service levels in any areas, as it is clear our community wants current services retained. But we will be progressing with our programme towards a new time-based free parking regime for the CBD. This will require a review of our current parking policy and further public consultation before implementation.

“We have also agreed to proceed with plans to complete the development of Eat Streat including construction of an all-weather roof structure over the area.

Investing in our economic future remains a priority and we are ensuring that we make a strong contribution to this through the annual plan. We are funding Grow Rotorua so they can focus on implementation of the Rotorua Sustainable Economic Growth Strategy and ensuring our tourism marketing plans are resourced to succeed, including funding for our Famously Rotorua campaign in partnership with local business partners. We will also be supporting our airport with up to three million dollars over the next two years for domestic and international airline network development.

Mr Winters said the 2013/14 annual plan had been one of the toughest to develop in recent years.

“It’s not been easy getting a balance between keeping rates increases to a minimum on the one hand, and investing in measures to give our local economy a boost on the other hand. Our management and staff deserve a lot of credit for the way they have committed to finding cost savings and doing more with less so this could be achieved.

“It’s certainly a plan that shows constraint but it’s also a plan for progress in challenging economic times.

[ENDS]

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