TRC rates unchanged, programmes improving

The Taranaki Regional Council today signalled essentially no change in rates next year despite plans to expand some programmes.

The Council’s draft budget for 2015/2016 envisages an overall decrease of $34,594, or a little over a third of 1%, in its total rates take (made up of general rates, targeted rates and uniform annual charge). However, the general rates take on its own will increase by just under 1%, with the impact to vary across the region.

The 2015/2016 budget forms part of the Council’s draft Long-Term Plan 2015/2025, for which councillors today approved a Consultation Document to be open for public submissions during March.

The Chairman, David MacLeod, says the Council’s long-term budgets are based on general rates increases below the rate of inflation across the life of the plan. “We are among the lowest rating Councils in the country and we want to keep this status,” he says. “Rates increases have been minimal in recent years, the Council’s financial position is strong and we have no public debt.”

Progressions to existing programmes, rather than fundamental changes, are envisaged in coming years:

New Government directives and the Council’s own extensive reviews will bring changes to its state of the environment reporting regime and its resourcing of the riparian management programme.

The Council’s approach to biodiversity partnerships will evolve, building on a strongly collaborative approach it has helped to foster among Taranaki agencies and groups working in this field.

The cost of an exciting upgrade of the Pukeiti gatehouse is being added to the budget.

The Council plans to enter a partnership with other regions and the Government to develop a new electronic ticketing system for bus services.
Submissions on the Long-Term Plan Consultation Document run for four weeks from Monday 2 March. The document, and information on how to make a submission, will be available at public libraries and district council service centres across the region, and online at www.trc.govt.nz.

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