The Council has some big decisions to make in this year’s Proposed 2023/24 Annual Plan, our public consultation process has now started. Our Consultation Document, titled Framing 2023/24 is the key document we engage with our community on.

The key choices included in this year’s Consultation Document are:

• Taihape Town Hall / Civic Centre: Deciding the future of the Town Hall / Civic Centre in Taihape, with options to bring the library, information centre, and council offices back under one roof. This could be through restoring and earthquake strengthening the Town Hall, or by undertaking necessary strengthening and improvements on the Taihape Town Hall / Civic Centre and transforming the Memorial Park Grandstand to house Council functions.
• Marton Civic Centre: Deciding we should demolish the existing heritage buildings on the corner of Broadway and High Street and build a new purpose-built Civic Centre in their place, or refurbish the existing buildings to house Council functions, preserving some of the heritage features, where possible.
• New pathway along Calico Line, Marton: Deciding whether we should build a new active mobility pathway along Calico Line this year, from Nga Tawa Road to Marton town, to ensure safety for students; or wait to apply for Waka Kotahi funding.

You are able to read the consultation document in full on our website there are also hard copies at our libraries, info centres and front reception.

We have worked on a number of cost savings to keep rates as low as possible, but our projected average rate increase of 9.01% remains higher than what was forecast in the 2021-2031 Long Term Plan. Interest rates are climbing and the inflationary pressure on wages, construction and roading are very high. We recognise the increased costs and pressures that our ratepayers are under, and we have strived to balance the need for essential Council programmes while considering the affordability of the district.

To help build community input we are organising engagement events, community BBQs and meetings over the coming weeks. These will be held across our district, all the details will be on our website and Facebook page.

This is an important opportunity for us to hear from our community and see what they think of our proposed plans.

Submissions can be made in many different ways, including:

• through our website
• by dropping off documents at our service centres
• emailing info@rangitikei.govt.nz
• Posting to Private Bag 110 Marton 4741

The consultation is open until 5pm on Tuesday 25 April 2023.

Click here for more details and to make a submission

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