Mayor Nadine Taylor and councillors discussed the 365 public submissions received on Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP) 2024 to 2034 yesterday. More than 100 submitters presented to Council during four days of public hearings in early June.

The overall rates increase for the 2024/25 year is 12.96%, just 0.01% higher than the 12.95% proposed in the LTP Consultation Document.

The Council agreed to progress the Marlborough Sounds roading recovery with a number of changes made to the proposals in the LTP Consultation Document, which was released for public submission in April. The recommendations include adopting Option 2(d) from the LTP Consultation Document for the recovery funding, with the following three amendments:

i.All marine costs are now excluded from the LTP except $500k for a targeted study, thereby reducing the current uncertainty on the scope and viability of any future marine works;

ii.Tranches 1 and 2 road repairs expenditure were included in the calculation of the cost share allocation between the Sounds’ zones;

iii.The weighting for non-Sounds properties has increased to 30 from the 25 originally proposed.

A funding application has now been submitted to NZTA.

Mayor Nadine Taylor said councillors agreed not to pursue a uniform annual charging concept for Sounds properties and there would be an opportunity for the next Council to consider the Sounds roading recovery rating decision in three years’ time, at the next LTP round.

“Council has listened carefully to the concerns of residents, particularly those from the Sounds, who have been living with broken roads and uncertainty for three years now.”

“We now await NZTA’s decisions on our funding application including the financial assistance rate. I am hopeful that Sounds’ residents and ratepayers’ patience will be rewarded.”

“Submitters provided Council with some very useful information which has helped significantly in our decision making.”

“The agreed way forward means there is a lower financial impact on almost all ratepayers and our budget decisions are fairer for everyone in Marlborough.”

The recommendations mean that by 2034 the average non-Sounds ratepayer will pay $187.60 towards the Sounds’ roading repairs, rather than the $247.37 a year proposed in the LTP Consultation Document. Non-Sounds ratepayers will contribute 74.5 per cent of Marlborough’s contribution to the repairs.

· Kenepuru ratepayers will pay on average $705.55 per year by 2034, rather than the $1,224.15 originally proposed.

· Te Aumiti/French Pass ratepayers will pay on average $247.94 per year by 2034, rather than the $505.12 originally proposed.

· Totaranui/Queen Charlotte Drive ratepayers will pay on average $344.75 per year by 2034, rather than the $333.05 originally proposed

· Te Hoiere/Pelorus ratepayers will pay on average $272.84 per year by 2034, rather than the $323.06 originally proposed

· Te Whanganui/Port Underwood ratepayers will pay on average $376.11 per year by 2034, rather than the $498.58 originally proposed.

All the proposals in the LTP Consultation Document were supported. A number of grants were made to community groups and other submissions were referred to Council committees for further consideration, as well as to Council’s grant schemes and the Commercial Events Fund. Funding of $67k was also approved for increased operating costs to maintain College Park, Rewi Murray Park and Puna Wai hockey stadium.

The following requests from submitters were supported:

• Tōtaranui 250 Trust: $100k for Cook’s Lookout on Arapaoa Island (one-off from reserves, approved on condition that other funds are sourced)
• Warmer Healthier Homes Te Tau Ihu Charitable Trust: $20k each year for three years for home insulation
• Flaxbourne Heritage Trust: increase of $2.5k per year (and $250k that was previously approved for Flaxbourne Museum will be released)
• Rapaura Tennis Club: $2.5k per year for maintenance
• Graeme Dingle Foundation Marlborough: $2k per year for Career Navigator
• Blenheim Community Patrol: increase of $3k in annual grant
• Link Pathway/Rick Edmonds: $10k one-off for path maintenance
• The Nature Conservancy NZ ($40k per year) from existing budgets
• Marlborough Historical Society: $40k for one year, from existing budgets.

The Mayor thanked all submitters for making the effort to participate in the LTP process. She also thanked Council staff for their assistance and advice.

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