The Dunedin City Council is keen for feedback on ideas to keep Dunedin moving ahead.

The Council has put together a plan for the city for the next 10 years and wants to know what residents think. Community feedback opens today and closes at noon on 23 April.

The 10 year plan outlines the services and activities we aim to provide, the things we want to do, how much we expect things to cost and what it all means for rates and debt.

Mayor of Dunedin Dave Cull says, “Dunedin is humming with economic activity, creativity and enormous promise. But that promise won’t realise itself. We need to invest in continuous improvement to make our city’s ambitions a reality.

“We are also competing with other cities for people, jobs and businesses. So as well as maintaining existing services and renewing pipes and roads, we need to invest in new projects to improve our city as a more desirable place to live.”

Mr Cull says that to do everything that is planned over the next decade, the Council proposes a rates rise of 7.3% in the first year of the plan and an average rates rise of 4.5% over the following nine years. The Council will also need to take on some more debt and sell some commercial property.

A booklet which highlights the key points of the 10 year plan is being delivered to every home in Dunedin from 19 March. The booklet, called ’Investing in our great small city’, is available at www.dunedin.govt.nz/10-year-plan, along with more information including finances and policies. We are encouraging people to provide their feedback early and, if possible, use the online form.

There will be plenty of opportunities for people to share their views, including talking to Councillors at events, via social media or by writing a letter. People can also speak to all Councillors at hearings held from 9 to 13 April. Visit www.dunedin.govt.nz/10-year-plan for more information about how to have your say.

The DCC is specifically seeking feedback on three new linked projects that would make Dunedin a more exciting place and provide better and safer connections between the main areas of the city.

These projects are the bridge (so we can open up the waterfront), the central city upgrade and improvements to the tertiary precinct. There are different options for how much the DCC spends on these projects.

We are also asking people for their views on whether we should put $200,000 or $300,000 a year into a new Place-based Community Grants Scheme for the next three years.

The Council plans to spend an average of $287 million a year to pay for the ‘business as usual’ work that ensures rubbish is collected, museums and libraries are open and sportsfields are mown. This money also meets some of the cost of maintaining things like water pipes.

In the last 10 year plan, the community agreed we needed to spend more replacing things like roads and pipes, so we can keep everything working well. Replacing these assets is still a major priority. Over the next 10 years the DCC is planning to spend $864 million replacing assets and building new things such as doing up the tertiary area. Around 70% of the $864 million will be spent on replacement work and 30% is for upgrades and new projects. The planned spending includes $35 million for stormwater improvements in South Dunedin.

Major projects over the next decade include stormwater improvements in South Dunedin, an upgrade of the Green Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, upgrading streetlights, helping to fund a new Mosgiel Pool and a permanent South Dunedin community hub.

The Council will adopt the final 10 year plan in June.

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