Council unveils aggressive plan to cut costs
KCDC Mayor Jenny Rowan says rates rises will be on average less than 5% across the district over the next 20 years under an aggressive cost-cutting plan being considered by Council.
For the first year the projected average rise will be 6.5%, which is substantially lower than earlier suggestions of 12%.
The financial strategy, which has taken $50m out of projected capital expenditure over the next ten years, was presented to the first of a series of workshops on the Long Term Plan (LTP) .
‘We have listened’
Councillor Ross Church told the meeting “Economic times dictate we need to be prudent, the community has told us this and we have listened. This strategy is the result of diligent and painstaking work by Council staff to find savings.”
And the Mayor says under the proposed plan savings could be made without cuts to services and no changes or deferments of the Council’s five priority projects, which include the new Aquatic Centre, Civic Building Upgrade, Water Supply/Water Meters project, Economic Development and managing the impacts of the Expressway.
Ms Rowan says:“This strategy will allow is to maintain, and in some cases increase services, keep debt at manageable levels and aggressively repay debt in the later years.
“It will also enable us to more fairly spread the cost of investments in community facilities and infrastructure over future generations.”
‘Review and re-focus’
Mayor Rowan says the drive to minimise costs is based on a major review and re-focus of Council activities.
“The Council has made a strategic decision to set just five priorities and that has allowed us to review our plans and take $50m out of our capital spending programme over the next 10 years. It has further allowed us to better plan for the next two decades, confident we can ease the burden for ratepayers,”says the Mayor.
The LTP workshops, which are open to the public, will continue weekly until early March. At the end of the process, a draft document will be produced and released for public consultation between mid April and mid May.
For further media inquiries, please phone Warwick Read on 027 5555 718 or Anna Kenna on 0274 765 046.
Please Pass The Following Information On To All On The “E Network.
Print And Display Posters And Spread The Word!
Thank You.
Protest Rally
Tuesday 7TH February 2012
8.30AM
Waterstone Avenue(Off MazengarbRoad)
Kapiti Coast District Council Emergency Headquarters(Owned By The Ratepayers)
This Will Be The First Of Many Actions To Return Control Of K.C.D.C. To Its Rightful Position As The Servants Of The Ratepayers Not The Dictators They Have Become-Restore Accountability!
There Is A Wide Range Of Issues That Have Been Miss Handled And Mismanaged For To Long EG;Roading,Water Meters,Budget Blowouts,Projects Running Behind Time,Appointment Of Unelected Iwi Representatives To Council,Excessive Management Remuneration,Pollution Issues ETC ETC ETC!
Come Along And Have Your Say!
Bring Placards And Show Your Message To The Arrogant Few That Are On An Exclusive Gravy Train Funded From The Pockets Of The Long Suffering Kapiti Ratepayers.
The Time Is Long Overdue For A Change.
Lets Have Early Local Body Elections In Kapiti And Get Rid Of This Lot!
As Jackie Elliot Says-“I Feel A Petition Coming On!”
Power To The People!
063646616 0211468938.
—
Kind regards,
Billy Mckee.
After attending the first Council workshop I was encouraged to see the work that has been done in preparing the Long Term Plan. Most of the things Kapiti Grey Power asked for last year have been included. The proposed 6.5% is still a high increase, but much better than the projected 12%. When the LTP is out for consultation, please send in a submission. It is up to the community to use the consultation as an opportunity to let Council know your views. . Betty Van Gaalen, Waikanae.