Council adopts Draft Long Term Plan
The Kāpiti Coast District Council says residents will soon be able to have their say on the Council’s blueprint for the District for the next 20 years.
The Council has unanimously adopted the Draft Long Term Plan (LTP), which proposes the financial and strategic direction for Kapiti for the next two decades.
Councils are required by law every three years to produce a detailed LTP plan which reviews spending priorities and policies for at least 10 years ahead. Kapiti is the only Council in the country to extend its LTP to 20 years to take a more robust, longer term view.
Mayor Jenny Rowan congratulated Council staff and elected representatives for the huge amount of work that went into developing the plan.
“This has been a detailed and rigorous process that has consumed many hours of time for staff and elected representatives alike. I think we can all be very proud of this document, which will now go out for community consultation.”
Mayor Rowan acknowledged proposed local government reform could change how Kapiti is governed but she said the Long Term Plan, once the public have had an input, will guide the future of the District.
“This document will have legal status no matter what form local government for Kāpiti takes in the future,” she said. “Any new governance body, whatever its form, will be guided by these decisions. That’s why it is more important than ever that people take part in the consultation process and make sure they have their say.”
Finance Manager’s view
Group Manager, Finance, Warwick Read, told the meeting the Draft LTP, which sets five priority projects and defers $50 million in capital spending, is based on a prudent approach with robust debt management strategies and limits on rates increases with no cuts to Council services.
He said the plan delivers a sustainable programme over the 20 years with capital investment of $679 million, resulting in average district-wide rates increase of 4.9% over the next twenty years.
Over that time debt increases from $100 million to peak at $196 million and with an aggressive debt repayment programme reduces to $77 million by year 20. The debt management strategy, which involves an accelerated debt repayment programme, ensures that debt is prudently managed and that future communities can make real investment choices without being constrained by past investment decisions.”
The document will go out for public consultation from 16 April to 17 May and will be available at libraries, council service centres and on the council website http://www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/haveyoursay