Ruapehu District Council Fine Tunes 2014/15 Work Programme

Ruapehu District Council considered 83 submissions on 67 different topics at the hearings and deliberations over the Draft Exceptions Annual Plan 2014/15 last week.

Of the 83 submissions 45 opted to speak in support of their submission with 22 in Ohakune and 23 in Taumarunui.

RDC Mayor, Don Cameron, said that the majority of the submissions were well thought out and presented.

“The public submissions form an invaluable part of the consultation process and is one of the best ways for residents and ratepayers to influence the work Council does on their behalf,” he said.

“All the submissions received are thoroughly considered and have a significant influence on the decisions Council finally comes to on any given issue.”

Mayor Cameron said that Council would be finalizing the final rate increase for the coming financial year over the next couple of weeks.

“At this stage it may be slightly under the average 4.7% increase indicated in the consultation phase.”

“Council staff is currently hard at work resetting the budgets based on the changes the elected members have requested following the hearings and deliberations.”

“We are going through the budgets on a line by line basis to assist in ensuring that there are no undesired outcomes from any changes.”

Mayor Cameron noted that with major projects coming-up Council has a lot of planning to do.

“This process is about ensuring that we keep rates to a minimum while ensuring that we have enough money in the kitty to do the work we need to do,” he said.

DON CAMERON
MAYOR

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