Proposed Annual Plan and rates information available

Palmerston North City Council has released information about its proposed Annual Plan for 2016/17.

The consultation booklet and supporting material are now live on the Council website at pncc.govt.nz/annual-plan.

Printed copies will be available at the Council's office on the Square and at all branches of Palmerston North City Library from tomorrow, Friday 18 March. The consultation booklet will be distributed to all local households with the Tribune newspaper on 23 March.

This year, for the first time, ratepayers will be able to go online to see details of their projected rates for next year. The Council is providing this information in advance through its online property search tool, at pncc.govt.nz/propertysearch.

Councillors will also hold a series of "Let's Talk" consultation sessions on the Annual Plan citywide from April 1-14. The venues include schools, libraries and community markets.

Residents and ratepayers are invited to make submissions on the Plan. The deadline for submissions is April 19. They will also have an opportunity to speak to a Council Hearings' Committee in May.

Council will consider the submissions before meeting in June to adopt the finalised Annual Plan.

Key points of the proposed Annual Plan:

• Council services to be provided as usual with minor additions

• Budget adjusted for timing of projects, lower inflation and interest rates

• Total rates increase of 3.8% (last year we estimated it would be 3.9%)

• More than one third of the increase is to fund increased water and wastewater renewals as agreed to last year

• Council's gross debt at 30 June 2017 now projected to be $122 million – $16 million lower than previously estimated

• New property values mean rates will be spread differently than before – rates in some areas will increase by a lot more than others

• Because total commercial land values have decreased more of the total rates will be paid by residential ratepayers.

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